Black Cats & Witchcraft
by NURSE J0Y
Summary: This wayward witch boy has traversed the earth, fought the future, and bartered a soul or two along the way, but nothing could have possibly prepared him for someone like her. Might change to Mature for future chapters. Lots of fluffy drama-y goodness! Read & Review pretty please! Klarion Bleak X Kitrina Falcone (Catgirl)
1. Prologue

**PROLOGUE**

It will never cease to amaze him.

The roar of great engines. The screeching sirens. The glow of neon. The way the street lights twinkle and shine, much like the stars above.

Stars...

That is what they call them, right?

_Stars._

There are no stars where he is from. In Limbo Town there is only a ceiling of rock. It seemed absurd to imagine that there was anything more than that beyond his walls of stone. That there are great big balls of burning gas and fire, like millions of candles flickering in a great big sky, as far as the eye can see.

He lifts his pale blue hand to the sky and examines it against the heavens above.

This world is so strange. Blue Rafters is full of such terrifying wonders and beautiful discoveries. So much to see and explore. Bright lights and vivid colors. Amazing sights and exploding sounds. And the tastes. Oh the tastes! Such sweet and sticky flavorful cakes of light. Chocolate and raspberry. Vanilla and marzipan. Toffee apples. Cupcakes. Lollipops. Candy hearts… He can never get enough of the sugary concoctions. His stomach growls just thinking about them.

That is why he is here, after all. To explore. And not just exploration of the sugary sweets, but to see and experience all the wonders this great land has to offer.

From coast to coast and beyond, he has traveled this world among many others, learning the cultures and its people's vast ways of life, but still, there will always be something about Gotham City that makes him feel like no other. That makes him feel at home. There's nothing like it. Only here can he ever feel this way. So lost and yet at peace. Watching this world from above as it spins around him. It makes him feel alive.

It's hard to imagine that it's been over five years now since he first set foot upon Blue Rafter's surface. So much has happened since then.

He was merely a boy then, so naive to this great big world of wonder. So easily swayed and betrayed. Now nearly a man, he's older and wiser, seeing the world through different eyes and yet still so very much in awe to all its wonders. There is still so much to see and learn. So much more to explore. Behind every door, a new adventure awaits. Excitement grips his chest as he looks out over the city, hoping that this feeling will never fade.

Klarion and his draaga-cat, Teekl, stand above Gotham, watching as cars pass from the rooftops above.

Everything seems so small from up here. Like fast little ants in a great big jar. Zooming in and out of intersections. Rushing about their lives. Klarion laughs as he watches them go. The lights from their great engine machines create streams of electricity along their wake. Yellow and white. Red and green. Stop lights and turn signals. Blinking and flashing. So pretty. It's almost hypnotizing.

Transfixed by the lights and sounds, he hardly hears the footsteps behind him. Quiet and feather-light, padding across the wet rooftop. Running right towards him. Startled, Klarion leaps behind the nearest gargoyle to hide.

The unknown danger quickly approaches and stops several feet away from his location. Klarion takes a deep breath and readies himself to attack, should he need to.

After several tense moments of nothing but silence, Klarion lets out a shallow sigh of relief. He must be hidden well. Perhaps his assailant cannot find him.

Mustering his courage, he peaks around the corner to catch a glimpse of his would-be-attacker.

He's shocked by what he finds.

_A girl?!  
_  
Klarion's cheeks grow hot in embarrassment from hiding from a girl. And not just any sort of girl, but a mortal girl at that.

He's a self-proclaimed former Lord of Chaos. A witch boy whose powers are so astounding that even the other witch folk seem ill at ease around him. Truly a master at his craft. Surely he need not fear some simple human girl.

Slowly he peaks around the corner to catch a better glimpse of her.

The girl approaches the edge of the roof and takes a seat, letting her long, slender legs dangle dangerously off the side.

She's dressed head to toe in shiny, black leather, tightly wrapped around her curvy body much like a second skin. Sleek and glossy like wet, black glass. So smooth, it begs to be touched.

A long whip wraps around her waist and hangs at her side, much like a tail. Atop her head, an over-sized pair of goggles and two pointed ears stand at attention, giving her the appearance of a cat.

The witch boy can't help but scoff.

This isn't the first time he's come into contact with the masked avengers of Blue Rafters. For the life of him, he can't quite seem to understand why it's socially acceptable for these people to go about dressed as they are, and yet people still mock and snicker at him. Life's so unfair.

She doesn't seem to be aware of his presence as she gazes out across the horizon. Perhaps it would be best if he were to just leave her be. No need having a confrontation. After all, meeting up with these masked folk in the past has always spelled trouble.

Silently, he instructs his familiar to come along, but notices that Teekl is no longer at his side. Frantically, Klarion searches all around him only to find his cat inching closer to the cat girl.

"Teekl." Klarion whispers sternly, but the orange tabby does not obey. Instead, he saunters across the rooftop and nonchalantly jumps up to the ledge where the cat girl is sitting.

Klarion balls his hands into fists and stomps his foot as silently as humanly possible. Inside his mind he is screaming and shouting, trying to get the attention of his less than obedient pet and friend.

"_DAMMIT, TEEKLE!_" Klarion shouts telepathically to his familiar, creating a link between their minds. _"I KNOW you can HEAR me! Now you get back here THIS instant or I'll be forced to come get you! I MEAN it!_"

Teekl glances over his shoulder as if to snub the witch boy. Klarion's eyes narrow.

This isn't the first time his less-than-loyal familiar and friend has run away from him, but it is sure to be the last. He'll see to that.

Klarion had thought the worst of Teekl's coupling was over. That his restlessness and utter need to find a mate had been satiated and that things could finally calm down and go back to normal. Wasn't his last rampage throughout the streets of Gotham on Valentine's night enough? Can't he just leave good enough alone? What is he planning on doing to this cat girl? Will he rip her heart out too?

"_Don't... Don't you dare, Teekl._"

He can practically feel Teekl grinning inside as the unruly cat closes in on the girl and rubs his furry head along her side.

The Catgirl nearly jumps out of her skin. With slight apprehension, she looks down at her side to find who or whatever had touched her.

She can't help but laugh in relief and embarrassment as she looks down to find an orange tabby with the most peculiar markings staring up at her with his brilliant green eyes. A tiny mew escapes his whiskered lips, as if to say 'hello'.

"Hey there, handsome." The Catgirl giggles as she motions for the tabby to come closer. "You scared me! Not that I'm a scaredy cat or anything..."

She places her gloved hand atop his head and scratches behind his ears, making him purr madly.

No longer paying any mind to his master's persistent shouting, Teekl hops into the girl's lap and nuzzles her hand, begging for more.

Klarion can't help but jump back, startled at the sensation as he closes the link between his and his cat's minds, ceasing their mutual bond.

It felt far too pleasant, overwhelming even, as the girl raked her fingers through Teekl's fur. He can still recall the sensation. Feel her fingers along his scalp. In his hair. On his skin. Klarion shudders as a spike of electricity runs down his spine.

This time Teekl's gone too far. His coupling must come to an end. Right now.

Unaware of the witch boy hiding in the shadows, Catgirl continues to pet and love on Teekl.

The tabby gets up on his hind legs and places his paws on her chest as he nuzzles her neck. His rough, sandpapery tongue glides across her cheek and she giggles as he purrs.

"Well... Aren't you the affectionate one?" Catgirl purrs as she scoops Teekl up in her hands and places him down on the ledge beside her. Getting to her feet, she stretches out her muscles and scans the rooftops before her. Unfurling her whip, she gets ready to pounce.

"Well, looks like I should be moving on. Never safe to stay in the same place for long, y'know... See ya later, lover boy."

With a wink and the blow of a kiss, Catgirl falls backwards off the roofs edge. Flipping into a swan dive, she plummets towards the earth before cracking her whip and swinging safely into the night.

"Good. I thought she would never leave." Klarion grunts as he steps out of the shadows towards his wayward cat. "I think that I shall teach you a lesson for your insubordination. Now, come along… LOVER BOY!"

Teekl doesn't move, nor does he respond to his master's taunting. Instead, he gazes out across the rooftops like a love sick puppy. Klarion rolls his eyes as he approaches his cat.

"You didn't really think that you could have MATED with her, did you? She is not really a cat, you know. She is a human girl. And an awfully strange one at that, dressed the way she is..." Klarion trails off for a moment before a wicked grin begins to creep along his pale blue face. "Can you imagine what would happen if you HAD coupled with her? You two would make the most HORRID offspring!"

Klarion holds his knees as he shakes with laughter. Teekl, on the other hand, is less than amused. Instead, he continues to quietly scan the rooftops, patiently waiting for any sign of his lovely cat lady.

"Now come along, Teekl. Let us go seek shelter." Klarion instructs, no longer laughing, but still sporting a devilish smirk.

This time Teekl obeys, although rather dishearteningly, and the two wayward wanderers disappear into the night.

* * *

**_For anyone curious about the story's image. You can check it out in full at my DeviantArt page!_ **


	2. Chapter 1

**KNOCKING ON HEAVEN'S DOOR**

Kitrina sits upright with a start, clutching her chest through her sweat soaked pajama shirt. Taking deep breaths, she tries desperately to calm herself down. Her heart is racing and she can't quite seem to stop herself from shaking. Wide eyed, she scans the room.

Desk with laptop, plasma screen TV hung on the wall, that chair with the little pink stars... This is her room. Her room in her apartment. With fingers tightly clenched around her Hello Kitty comforter, Kitrina lets out a shaky sigh of relief.

Just a nightmare.

The alarm clock on the nightstand next to her flashes 6:15am. She groans and drags herself out of bed.

Feet heavy against the hardwood, Kitrina makes her way into the kitchen. She tells herself that it's no wonder she had had such a lucid dream last night as she steps in front of the refrigerator and yanks open the stainless steel door. Perhaps she should lay off the late night Twilight Zone marathons and sugary sweets. That or the all night cram study sessions, partying, and rooftop romps with the cops or the Bat Brats. Her lifestyle doesn't exactly allow for much sleep. Perhaps a phone call to Selina and an all day spa session is in order. Removing the carton of milk from the fridge, she pours herself a bowl of cereal.

Pulling out a bar stool, she takes a seat at the island, the only separation between the kitchen and the living room, and shovels a spoonful of Cheerios into her mouth. A police siren wails somewhere off in the distance, but still, her apartment feels far too quiet. Not at all like the constant hustle and bustle of living in an all-girls boarding school or back in the day when she bunked with the former Gotham City Sirens.

Staring out into her open concept living room, she can't help but smile. Her two bedroom, one bath apartment is quaint, but it's home. Not exactly the penthouse that Selina currently owns, but it's something she can call her own. She had paid for it with her own money, after all. Ok... Maybe not exactly her _own_ money, but she had certainly earned it.

Of course it didn't hurt having Selina co-sign on the lease. The landlord hadn't exactly seemed too keen on renting to a minor, but cash talks, especially in this town, and if she can pay the rent, then he certainly has no qualms with turning a blind eye to exactly how the money was made. No questions asked.

Maybe one day she can afford some high-rise penthouse or brownstone, but right now, a couple walls, kitchen, bathroom and most importantly, a balcony for easy access in her nightly activities is good enough. Hell… At least it beats that stuffy school upstate that Mr. Wayne had sent her to a couple years back. With a deep breath she takes in that rich Gotham air and exhales. It's good to be home.

A knock at the door breaks her concentration, catching her off guard. Her eyes shoot to the source of the sound. Just who the hell could it be? She's not expecting anyone. Getting up from her seat, she grabs her bowl of cereal and makes for the door.

"Hell..." Kitrina opens the door and instantly loses her train of thought. She finds herself staring a hole through the young man in her doorway. "...oh."

He's a tall and wiry, blue-skinned young man dressed head to toe in black Puritan attire. A fluffy, orange tabby perches proudly on his shoulder. He seems a bit taken aback by her. Perhaps it's the way she's dressed. Standing straight and proper, his eyes roam the floor, every now and then peeking upward to look her in the eye. He takes great diligence in pretending not to notice that she's dressed in little more than a pair of boy shorts and a thin nightshirt. Underdressed, she didn't even care to put on a robe before answering her door.

Without a word, Kitrina cocks an eyebrow just ever so slightly before shoveling another heaping spoonful of cereal into her mouth.

"Um... Greetings. I was just-" Klarion begins, only to be cut off.

"I don't have any candy." Kitrina interrupts, still chewing her food.

She doesn't laugh or mock but instead stands calm and composed wearing a stone cold poker face. It's not anything the witch boy is accustomed to.

"Beg pardon?"

Finishing her cereal, Kitrina takes a moment to slurp down the remaining milk before answering his question. With a furrowed brow, Klarion stands in her doorway impatiently awaiting her response.

"I said I don't have any candy. You were gonna say 'Trick or Treat', right?"

"Just what are you getting at?" Klarion growls, his temper beginning to flair.

"I mean… Halloween's not for a couple months. What are you supposed to be anyway? A pilgrim or something?"

Balling his hands into fists, Klarion digs his fingernails into the flesh of his palms to keep himself from lashing out at the rude young woman.

Teekl huddles in fear, apprehensive about whatever confrontation may arise. Silently, he begs his master not to hurt her as he tucks his furry head beneath Klarion's chin.

"I came inquiring about the ad." Klarion grunts through clenched teeth.

"The ad?" Kitrina repeats, cocking her head to the side as she ponders. With a smack to the forehead she remembers. How could she be so stupid? "The AD! Oh GOD! Of course! I'm so sorry! Come in! Come in!"

Hurrying Klarion and his cat inside, she slams the door behind them.

"Why didn't you SAY you were here about the room for rent? Jeez… I thought you were trying to PUNK me!"

The girl continues to speak a hundred miles a minute, taking Klarion throughout the apartment and showing him this and that, but Klarion's not paying her any attention. His eyes remain fixed and narrowed on his cat.

"_This is the same girl from the other night!"_ Klarion hisses angrily within his head towards his cat. "_You knew it before we even got here, didn't you?_"

_"It's not like that, brother Klarion. I really had no idea."_

"_Of COURSE you did. Don't lie. Out of all the other rooms, THIS was the one you wanted me to inquire upon, was it not? Don't deny it!_"

"_I really don't know what to say. I-_"

"So. What do you think?" Kitrina asks excitedly, cutting Klarion and Teekl's little mind argument short.

Klarion glares at his cat's almost pleading face and rolls his eyes.

"_Don't look at me in that tone of voice."_ Klarion groans mentally before opening his mouth to address the long winded girl. "Fine. I'll take it."

"Wonderful!" Kitrina exclaims, clapping her hands in delight. "Oh! One last thing. Let me go grab your key and get all the paperwork together. 'Kay? Make yourself comfy!"

Klarion watches as she disappears from sight, a sneer permanently marring his impish features. Again he glares at his cat.

"You owe me." He growls quietly.

Not paying any mind to his owner's foul mood, Teekl hops down from Klarion's shoulder and saunters off towards their room.

"_Doubtful." _He replies with a haughty purr. _"I think it is YOU who shall owe ME."_


	3. Chapter 2

**LITTLE BOY BLUE**

Staring at the tiny monitor to his laptop, Klarion hurriedly types away, looking up this and that on his wonderful little internet machine.

Out of the corner of his eye, he catches Kitrina saunter past, grabbing a bottle of some purple concoction from the fridge before making her way back and plopping down on the couch next to him. Teekl hops out of his lap and straight into hers. Although his face doesn't show it, inside Klarion growls.

Kitrina stares at him between sips of her drink. He pretends not to notice, just continues to type away, though he can feel her eyes studying him intently. His body begins to warm as she scoots in closer, leaning in to watch him type.

"What'cha doing?" She asks playfully.

He doesn't respond.

She's so close he can smell her lightly perfumed skin. Leaning in closer and closer still, she only invades his personal space further. Her honey-colored hair spills onto his shoulder.

"Hey. Is that thing even on?" She asks curiously, noticing the little power light isn't lit.

Klarion sighs.

"I power it myself. I have no need for such futile utilities such as electricity or internet and the like. This is merely a shell, much like a crystal ball, to which I summon the interwebs."

Kitrina's eyes shine excitedly.

"So... You're not on the grid! That's so cool! I bet that really cuts down on the bills, huh? Can you get caught? I mean, can anyone even track you? Or do you have like unlimited access or something?" Her eyes widen in glee. "Can you hack the Pentagon?"

Again Klarion sighs.

"I have no use for your government nor am I bound by its laws."

Her lips stretch into a seductive smirk. Although he chooses not to read her mind, he can clearly sense the gears are turning.

"So that's a yes." She purrs mischeviously.

Leaning back into the couch, Kitrina kicks her bare legs up onto the table, revealing just how short her pajama shorts really are. Klarion's eyes wander for a moment before returning to his monitor.

"Are you gonna need any help carrying in your stuff. Umm... Do you have any stuff or do you just travel light? If you want, there's a bed and some furniture in the room already. I won't charge you any extra. I was just gonna toss the things anyways. My last roommate just left it after we-"

"I'll accept the furniture." Klarion cuts in, still typing away. "As for my things, I won't be needing any assistance. I have them stored away in a pocket dimension and shall get to them soon enough."

"Oh." Kitrina says in return.

Nothing more to say, the two sit in silence. He's only been here an hour or so and already he's come to despise her. She's so nosy and loud and... His eyes glance to the side to catch her licking her thumb. She's accidentaly spilt the remainder of her drink on her already paper thin shirt and is attempting to clean herself by rubbing at it. The futile action is only bringing more attention to her well-endowed chest. That and the fact that she's not wearing a bra. Tossing her head back, she groans, giving up on the whole ordeal.

"So I was thinking, Ka... Ummm... Oh God, this is embarrassing. What's your name again?" Kitrina asks, breaking their silence.

Klarion's eyes dart back to his laptop.

"It's on the paperwork." He replies in an annoyed tone.

"Yeah, but it's already filed away." She whines. "And anyway, it's not like it's so difficult for you to just TELL me your name? You're not Rumpelstiltskin or anything, right?"

His eyes narrow ever so. Still, he remains silent.

Staring up at the ceiling, she rests her head against the back of the couch and begins stroking Teekl's fur. The orange tabby purrs contently in her lap.

"Fine. Then I'm just gonna have to start calling you Blue." She sighs. With a grin, she begins to sing. "Blue. Blue. Blue... Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn. The sheep's in the meadow, the cow's in the cor-"

"Klarion."

"Hn?" Kitrina replies as she lifts her head up to look at him. His eyes remain fixed on his computer screen.

"My name is Klarion." He repeats.

In some private little victory, a smile works its way onto her face.

"See? That wasn't so hard." She teases. "And I don't think I really properly introduced myself before. My name is K-"

"Kitrina Helena Falcone. Also known as the Catgirl." Klarion replies rather matter-of-factly, making Kitrina jump up from the couch in shock. Teekl hops out of her lap as to not end up on the floor.

"How… How did you-"

"Know that? It is really quite simple."

"W-What are you?"

"Magic? Yes." Klarion replies simply, still not looking up from his screen. "Now, are we through here? Because I really am trying to read."

Without a word, she slams his laptop closed and glares at him angrily. Klarion sighs and leans back into the couch. Lazily lopping his head to the side, his eyes finally meet hers.

"How can you act so...so COLD?" She cries. "You KNOW my secret identity. You KNOW where I live. How can I trust you to-"

Sitting forward, Klarion rests his elbows on his knees and begins massaging his temples with his index and middle fingers.

"Look." The witch boy begins. "I do not CARE about your secret identity and I do not care about YOU." He groans. "I am only here because of HIM."

Klarion points an accusing finger at the cat sitting between them. Folding her arms across her chest, Kitrina raises a rather curious and skeptical brow.

"Your cat?"

"My FAMILIAR." Klarion corrects. "His name is Teekl."

"Teekl?"

"Yes. And he has a _crush _on you or whatever it is you humans call it. All in all, he seems to be rather smitten. It was HIS idea to come here. I-"

"HIS idea? He… TALKS… to you?"

"Of course. All the time."

Kitrina finds herself staring at the plump little cat.

She knew this blue guy was weird when she answered the door, the way he looks and talks and acts, but even this is a bit much. The whole thing makes her a bit uncomfortable, to say the least.

"And… What does he say?" She asks uneasily.

"That you smell like catnip."

"I… see."

Her head swimming, Kitrina takes her seat back on the couch.

"Rest assured, you are in no danger. Like I said. I do not care who you are. I am merely using this residence as base while I explore the city and Teekl… Well… He likes his belly rubbed."

Kitrina stares down at the orange tabby apprehensively. His big green eyes stare back up at her as if to apologize for his master's forwardness. Suddenly, her eyes grow wide.

"IT WAS YOU!" Kitrina cries, her finger pointed square at the cat. "You were on the roof last night!"

Klarion stares down at Teekl in disappointment.

"She is rather slow, isn't she?" Klarion points out to his cat.

"HEY!" Kitrina cries with her arms in the air. "I'm right here!"

"So you are." Klarion sighs, returning his attention to his computer. "Why don't you change that? Or at the very least, keep your mouth quiet. Please and thank you."

With the wave of his hand, Klarion begs for her to leave his sight.

Glaring angrily at the witch boy, Kitrina's blood begins to boil. It takes everything in her not to punch him in the face. With a huff, she gets up from the couch and storms off in the direction of her room. Torn, Teekl sits on the edge of the couch cushion and watches her leave.

Both witch boy and familiar jump at the sound of her door slam. A picture frame somewhere in the apartment falls to the floor, shattering on impact. Wine glasses shudder in the cabinet. The buzzing sound they make reverberates through their home.

"_You didn't have to be so cruel, brother_." Teekl sighs.

Klarion doesn't respond, but instead continues to study his findings on the internet.

"_Brother?_" Teekl repeats in a much quieter, upset tone.

With an over exaggerated groan, Klarion slams his laptop closed and tosses it to the opposite end of the couch.

"_Cruel?_" Klarion snidely replies inside his head. "_I could have very well sewn her mouth shut and shoved her off into a parallel world. But yes, perhaps you're right. My telling her to leave me be was 'cruel'._"

Teekl huffs at his master's sarcastic tone.

"_She was only trying to be friendly and make conversation._" The familiar says softly. "_You won't even give her a chance, will you? Why are you pushing so hard to make her hate you?_"

"_Why are you pushing so hard to make me LIKE her?_" Klarion shoots back. "_She's YOUR plaything. So play. And leave me be. I have no need nor want for her friendship or anything else she may have to offer._"

Teekl trots closer to his master and takes a seat beside him.

"_Is this about her calling you a pilgrim?_" Teekl asks. "_You realize she apologized._"

Sticking out his lower lip, Klarion folds his arms across his chest and pouts.

Teekls sighs. Barely nineteen, his master is still such a child at times. Hanging onto his teenage adolescence by a thread, refusing to grow up. Sometimes he forgets just how old the witch boy actually is. Puberty had crept in so quietly, never making a fuss or much noise. His master never cared to learn how to treat the more delicate of the sexes. Never staying in the same place long enough to create ties or build relationships. He's never played well with others.

"_She's irritating._" Klarion growls.

"_She's at least TRYING. Which is more than I can say about YOU._" The little cat groans. "_You make for a lousy first impression._

Kicking his black leather boots up onto the coffee table, Klarion crosses his arms behind his head and shines a wide and defiant grin down on his draaga cat.

"That's fine by me."


	4. Chapter 3

**BLACK MAGIC WOMAN**

It's been nearly a week now since he's moved into the apartment. His things, retrieved from the pocket dimension and unpacked to his liking, have made this strange new place feel a little more like home. It's the perfect location, really. Just on the edge of the East End, it's within walking distance to several holistic shops and herb gardens. Not to mention, just a hop, skip and a jump away from the city library. The only downside to his new living arrangement is HER.

Pocketing his hands, Klarion stops in front of one such shop and reads the sign above the door. Glowing neon spells out a name, 'Madame Xanadu', done up in lights. The faded poster board in the window display indicates she's a palm reader and fortune-teller extraordinaire. Snickering, Klarion opens the door and steps inside. A little brass bell attached to the top of the door rings as he makes his way into her parlor.

Dreadfully heavy, maroon colored drapes cover the windows. They appear to be velvet and covered in a thick layer of cobwebs and dust. Save for a thin sliver of golden sun that shines through the cracks, they block out most of the light attempting to enter the room. The single ray cuts through the darkness, illuminating little particles of dust swirling in the air.

The whole place smells of mothballs and incense. Candles flicker all around. In the center of the room sits a modest sized, antique round table. Atop it, a crystal ball.

Running his blue fingers through Teekl's fur, Klarion rolls his eyes. Gaudy and tasteless. The mystic sure likes to put on a show for the patrons. No doubt they just eat it all up, right down to the ancient Chinese tapestries and the well-worn Persian rug. The whole shop reeks of predictability, only making it that much more obvious that the woman is hiding something. And in plain sight, no less.

As if on cue, the fortune-teller in question steps out from the back room and into the parlor. The beaded curtain separating the two rooms sways as she approaches the witch boy.

"I've been told from a reliable source that you deal in magic artifacts." Klarion says, pocketing his hands.

He never looks her in the eye, but instead continues to scan the room.

"There are no _reliable sources_ in magic." Xanadu purrs.

"Too true." The witch boy laughs. "Too true."

The older woman strides across the room, her peasant skirt dragging along the dusty floor as she walks. She takes a seat at her table and picks up the deck of Tarot cards stacked beside her crystal ball. Klarion's back is towards her, so intensely examining the art on the wall as she shuffles her deck.

"Have you come to buy or sell?" She asks, plucking a card from the deck.

"Perhaps a bit of both." Klarion replies, finally glancing over his shoulder to match eyes with the mystic. A grin crosses his lips. "Show me what's behind this wall."

Xanadu smiles. As if lifting a veil, with the wave of her hand, the wall that Klarion was admiring so intently disappears.

"You sensed my concealment spell?" The woman asks.

"From about three blocks away, yes." Klarion drones.

Hands clasped behind his back, he peruses the shelves of curiosities and oddities. Herbs and oils. Candles and incense. Crystals and coins. Tea leaves and bones. A few dusty, leather-bound books. Several items of interest, but not much. Baby magic, really. More fortune-telling and divination than anything else.

"Impressive." Xanadu purrs.

Picking up a book on demons, Klarion begins to thumb through.

"Well," He begins with a sly smirk. "I aim to please."

Singling out several cards from her deck, Madame Xanadu lays them down flat on the table in front of her. Face down, she turns them over, one by one, and reads them aloud.

"The Fool." She begins. "With all his worldly possessions in one small pack, the Fool travels he knows not where. So filled with visions, questions, wonder and excitement is he, that he doesn't see the cliff he is likely to fall over."

Replacing the book, Klarion sighs. He never did much care for the cards. Like dolls, Tarot is simply a plaything one grows out of. The practice is far beneath such a witch of his standing.

"I am familiar with the cards meaning." Klarion groans. "Are you calling me a Fool?"

Xanadu doesn't answer, but instead continues on to the next card.

"You have come to a fork in your path." She continues. "You have sought residence, stability. A home. This is not the path of a lonely wanderer. The hermit needs no home. And so, this brings you to great odds within yourself."

"I'd very much appreciate it if you stay out of my affairs."

Xanadu's eyes shine as she reveals the next card.

"I see a young woman. Strong and beautiful." Xanadu casts a knowing look upon the witch boy. The corner of her mouth quirks into a smirk. "I see now why you are at such odds."

Turning his attention back towards the rows of items, Klarion pretends the mystics words do not bother him. The tips of his ears turn a purplish red. Finding an item of interest, he lifts it to eye level and examines it closely.

"Marked by the cat, she basks in the Moons heavenly glow." She continues. "When there are no stars to guide you and you find yourself uncertain, despite the darkness, her light will show you the way. She stands at the pinnacle, illuminating your rightful path. And still you question, fighting her and your journey. Surrende-"

Marching over to the table which Madame Xanadu is seated, Klarion slams a crystal ball down on the stack of cards, making them scatter and spill onto the ground.

"I'll take this." He says rather heatedly.

Xanadu looks up from the mess he's made, but instead of being upset or angry, she looks at him and smiles.

"And how shall you be paying?" She asks in return.

Balancing the ball on the tips of his fingers, Klarion stares deep within the crystals depths.

"I was thinking..." He begins.

Resting her chin upon steepled fingers, Xanadu studies the witch boy's imp-like features, grinning.

"Go on." She replies, awaiting his response.

"Your shelves are nearly desolate. You could use more inventory and much higher quality at that." Klarion says in a strictly business-like tone. "I've been thinking of setting up shop here in Gotham. Perhaps a partnership is in order." He continues. "I could provide you with charms, herbs... potions and spells the like you've never seen. Stones and artifacts and tomes from other dimensions and worlds. Not to mention a must vaster clientele. Paying customers."

"And what's in it for you?" Xanadu purrs.

"Seventy percent." Klarion says, tossing the ball up into the air and catching it like a toy. "I'll be providing all the goods as well as my long list of established clients. This will simply be the base in which to sell out of. All you need do is play market and pocket thirty for yourself."

"Forty-five." Xanadu bargains. "It appears that I'll be doing all the work."

Klarion grins. He sure loves a good bargain.

"Forty." He shoots back.

"Deal."

Giving the crystal ball one last triumphant toss, Klarion swipes it out of the air and tucks it away inside his knapsack. He holds out his hand so both he and the Madame can shake on their newly formed partnership.

"Tell me, mystic." Klarion begins in a rather playful tone. "If you can truly read the future. Did you know that I would come?"

To this, Xanadu tilts her head and grins.

"Truthfully? I never thought I'd see the day when a Fool would become an Emperor, though stranger things have happened, I'm sure. The road in which you walk is so winding that not even one such as myself can divine just where your path shall lead."

The mystic begins straightening her table. Placing cards back in the deck.

"You have a roof over your head. A job to pay your way. And a little lady waiting for you at home." She purrs in her thick Louisiana accent. "This certainly is a road less traveled. I'm curious to see what you do next."

Shoving his hand in his doublet pocket, Klarion produces a single gold coin and tosses it onto the table. Madame Xanadu stares at it curiously before looking up into the witch boy's eyes.

"What's this for?" She asks, unsure.

"For the reading." He replies.

Turning on his heels, he heads for the door.

"But you didn't let me finish."

The little bell chimes as he opens the door and steps outside.

"Keep it." He calls and with that, he is gone.

The door slams shut, the little bell still ringing. Madame Xanadu looks towards the floor to pick up the remainder of her cards. Amongst the maelstrom of cups and wands, she notices a single card face down on the ground. It calls out to her, standing out amongst the crowd. Bending forward, she picks it up and flips it over in her hand. The Lovers stare up at her and she can't help but smile.

"Curious, indeed."


	5. Chapter 4

_**HAPPY FRIDAY! I'm feeling super generous today. That's two chapter posts in one week! **_  
_**Things are about to get super heated up around here. How 'bout a bit of tension? :D **_  
_**Review pretty please! xoxo**_

* * *

**GYPSIES, TRAMPS & THIEVES**

With feather-lite footsteps, Kitrina traverses the halls of her home, making her way towards her new roommates bedroom. She's not even sure why she's sneaking about. It is her home, after all. That, as well as the witch boy in question isn't even home. He's been out all day, doing God knows what he does while he's away. No doubt being a giant pain in someone else's ass.

She can't, for the life of her, understand why the hell he's such a prick. Especially to her. He seems to always be chastising her for something. Whether it's her clothes, or lack there of, the way she talks, walks, looks, acts... It's to the point that she has to walk on eggshells in her own home. That is, of course, if she actually gave a rat's ass what he thought of her. Quite truthfully, she actually enjoys toying with him, pushing him to the limit and watching the hilarious results, waiting for that moment when he'll just up and snap. Some days, she purposefully wears next to nothing, taking pleasure in watching him turn a new shade of purplish red every time. She's even gotten around to naming a couple of the more interesting colors as if they were crayons in a great big box. Like 'lacy red bra and a white tank top fuchsia' or 'shorty short shorts plum'.

Giggling, she approaches the thresh hold to his room and runs her fingers across the door. With sly eyes, she glances left and then right. A maddening Cheshire grin slithers across her face.

Trying the knob only makes her grin widen. She never doubted for a second he'd be the type to lock his door. Her nails tap against the grain to the wood in glee.

Reaching behind her left ear, she produces a bobby pin, always tucked into her hair for a predicament such as this.

"Never leave home without it." She says as she gives the hair accessory a little kiss for good luck.

With a little wiggle, she sticks her backside in the air and hums a happy tune as she begins work on the lock to his door.

Selina always told her that a guy who loves his cats and treats them well is a guy worth keeping around. Surely someone like that can't be all that bad. Right?

Obviously Selina never had the pleasure of meeting a guy quite like this.

The witch boy is odd. Something about him leaves a bad taste in Kitrina's mouth. She can't quite figure him out. That's why she's just gotta break into his room. Curiosity and cats...

What if he's an evil demon Lord of Chaos hell-bent on world domination? He's living underneath her roof, she has a right to know. Just what kind of guy is he really?

The tumblers fall into place, creating that oh so pleasant clicking sound she loves so dear. It's like music to her ears. With a happy little victory dance, she opens the door and steps inside.

Like a kid in a candy store, she stops dead in her tracks, marveling in wonder at all the sights around her.

Glass jars ranging in all sorts of shapes and sizes, filled with various different colored liquids and strange little creatures she has never before laid eyes on adorn the shelves on the wall. Several pairs of charcoal grey boxer briefs are balled up and strewn haphazardly at the foot of his bed along with a deck of what looks like Tarot cards and a rather odd pair of dice.

Staring at the box of tissues on his nightstand along with the large pump bottle of lotion, she can't help but shake her head and snicker.

"Guess it doesn't matter what species you are." She groans. "Typical guy."

A crystal ball sits atop the bed, nearly lost in the tangle of crumpled up sheets. Candles and books cover the remainder of the square footage, along with little wax droplets dotting the furniture and floor.

"Should'a gotten a security deposit." Kitrina sighs as she turns her attention towards the vast array of chalk drawings covering the walls. Such strange symbols, most of which she's never seen before. They giver her the willies just looking at them.

Picking up a book from atop the rather impressive stack upon his desk, Kitrina turns it over in her hand. Examining it further, she opens it up only to find it's written in a language she doesn't recognize. Setting it aside, she picks up another and then another. All musty and dusty and strongly smelling of old leather baseball mitts. Some caked in dirt and some inked in what seems to be blood. Picking up one particular tome, it almost appears to have been bound in human flesh. With a grimace, she tosses the book aside and continues on.

Some thing catches her eye, something shiny just in her peripheral. Heading towards the wall with all the glass bottles, she finds a handsome little dagger tucked in between two specimen jars. The blade looks to be cast entirely of silver with such beautiful precious stones adorning its hilt. Her sticky fingers itch to claim it. A wicked grin stretches across her face.

"Can I help you?" A voice calls from directly behind.

With a startled peep and a little jump, Kitrina spins around to find Klarion standing in the doorway, blocking her escape. Clutching her chest, she turns on the act.

"Jesus, Blue! You shouldn't sneak up on a girl like that!" She pants breathlessly. "How long have you been standing there, anyway?"

"Long enough." He groans.

A flirty smirk crosses Kitrina's lips.

"So you like to watch..."

Klarion hardly seems amused.

"What are you doing in my room?" He asks, his eyes dark and narrowed on her.

He takes a step towards her, then another until he's directly in front of her. At nearly a foot taller than she, he towers over her menacingly. His chest grazes hers. He's so close, she can smell his aftershave. Her smirk fades.

"What am I doing?" She repeats, trying to think of an appropriate answer.

He folds his arms across his chest and lifts his head, staring down at her from the tip of his nose.

"Hey, is that a real shrunken head?" She asks, looking straight past him.

Eyes set squarely on her, he never shifts his attention nor lets her out of his sight.

She feels like a fly caught in a spider's web. There's no escape. Turning her head, she exams the shelf full of jars.

"I mean, I was... I was just looking for this." She lies, picking up a random jar filled with some odd-looking object. "Found it! I guess I'll be going now."

Sidestepping, she scoots out from in front of him, carefully making her way towards freedom. She nearly reaches the door, when Klarion blinks out of sight and reappears immediately in front of her, once more blocking her escape. He leans against the door frame with a smug grin across his face. No doubt he's enjoying this little game of cat and mouse at Kitrina's expense.

"What have you got there?" Klarion asks, this time rather amused. He points to the jar in Kitrina's hand. "Do you even know what that is?"

"What, this?" Kitrina replies, closely looking over the jar in her hand, trying to figure out just what the hell is even in there.

Resting his head against the door, Klarion grins down at her madly. He's absolutely loving this, making her sweat. Stubborn, she refuses to give him the satisfaction.

"Of course I know what this is." She lies. "It's... uh..."

"Troll testicles." Klarion interjects with a satisfied purr.

Disgusted, Kitrina drops the jar. Using his magic, Klarion catches the jar in midair and floats it back to its rightful place on the shelf, setting it down softly.

"Ugh. Gross!" Kitrina cries, wiping her hands on her denim shorts repeatedly.

Klarion snickers, completely amused by her display.

"Why would you even have something like that?" She asks, sticking her hands in her armpits.

She never should have snuck into his room. It's just as weird as he is. Completely fitting for someone as strange and perverse as him. She feels icky all over. If she ever gets out of here alive, she's going to take a long hot shower to hopefully wash away any remnants of this place.

"Medicinal purposes." Klarion replies simply. "They are considered much like the Viagra of the mystic arts community."

Kitrina raises an eyebrow.

"Viagra?" With a smirk, her eyes wander along the inseam of his slacks then back up to his face. "Problem with the plumbing, Blue?" She purrs in an overtly sexy tone.

His cheeks grow hot. Adjusting his doublet, he covers himself to keep her from staring at his groin any further.

"Not me, my CLIENTS. My _plumbing_, as you so crudely put it, works just fine!" The witch boy hisses. "If you really must know, such an item fetches handsomely along the black magic market."

He glares so intensely down at her, she's not quite sure whether he's going to kiss her or kill her. In either case, it's making her just a little bit hot.

"So you're like, what?" Kitrina teases. "A _witch_ doctor?"

Klarion misses the joke.

"Hardly." He replies. "I have a simple understanding of medicine, not nearly enough to be considered a doctor by any means. I'm merely a middleman. Selling and trading various oddities and the like. It's certainly enough to pay the bills and then some, unlike _some_ thieving souls who must resort to robbing banks."

Not liking his dig, Kitrina takes a step closer, filling in what miniscule space there already was between them. She presses her chest to his and balls her fists, ready for a fight.

Arching an eyebrow, Klarion glances down her tight tank top at her heaving chest.

"Or perhaps you too make ends meet by selling your _goods_."

A growl rises within her. She wants so badly just to smack that grin right off his face. Knee him in the groin. Punch him in the gut. Elbow him in the jaw... She plays over the scenarios in her mind. Instead, she smiles sweetly at him, playing on the edge of flirtatious. She places a hand on either side of his waist, keeping herself steady as she rises up on her toes to whisper in his ear. Pressed against his, she can feel his body grow warm to the touch.

"Just so we're clear, I don't care how much money you make. I wouldn't sleep with you if you were the last man alive." Kitrina purrs amorously. "I'd rather be torn apart by a pack of hungry dogs than let you even touch my tits. And if you so much as IMPLY that I'm a whore again, I'll make it so that you'll need much more than troll testicles if you ever wanna get it up again. Understand?"

Klarion continues to stare down at her with dark eyes and a grin.

"Stay out of my room." He growls through grit teeth.

Glaring straight ahead, Klarion doesn't even watch her leave. He can feel her hands release from around his torso and listens as her footsteps become increasingly fainter as she storms away. It isn't until he hears her slam her bedroom door behind her, does he shift his attention to his cat sitting on edge of his bed, a front row seat to the whole ordeal. Teekl shifts uneasily under his master's glare.

"_Why must you always be so rude?_" Teekl sighs.

"I'M rude?!" Klarion cries. "She's the one who broke in and threatened me with castration!"

He folds his arms across his chest and sneers.

"And did you hear what she said?" He continues. "She'd rather be horribly mutilated than lie with me."

"_And that bothers you why?_" Teekl asks. "_Is it because you WOULD like to lie with her?_"

Klarion's eyes grow wide, alarmed.

"I said no such thing!"

The plump little cat doesn't respond, only cocks his head to the side as if examining his master, judging him. Not one to be under the microscope, Klarion turns on his heels and leans in closer to the wall, paying close attention to all the chalk markings he had drawn around the door.

"Perhaps these concealment spells aren't nearly enough." Klarion begins, looking over his work. "I so worried about others learned in the dark arts finding this place. A high priestess, perhaps. Or even a sorcerer supreme. I never expected some mortal _cat burglar_ to simply walk right up and pick the lock. It's embarrassing, really..."

Klarion grows quiet for a moment, brooding.

"And who the hell does she think she is, anyway? Wouldn't sleep with me if I were the last man alive..." Klarion continues. "As if she's some prize. I'll tell you something else. If fate were cruel and such a day were to come, leaving her and I as the last two people left in this miserable world, I'd make her beg me for my seed. BEG! And I still would n..."

Teekl yawns and rests his furry little head down on his paws for a nap, completely tuning out the fuming witch boy as he continues to rant and rave about his beguiling roommate.


	6. Chapter 5

**HOWL AT THE MOON**

Hovering several feet off his bedroom floor, Klarion sits in a half lotus position, meditating. Or at least trying to. Ever since the incident earlier with Kitrina breaking into his bedroom chamber, he can't quite seem to find center here. It's as if her presence still lingers. Like her scent is stuck to his clothes.

Klarion snorts, attempting to clear his nostrils of her phantom perfume.

Perhaps a purifying spell is in order. Cleanse his room of her ghost. Then burn all his clothes.

How dare she enter his room without his permittance anyhow. Is nothing sacred anymore? This is _his_ domain. Filled with such priceless artifacts and ancient tomes. Secrets so vast he dare not think what would happen should they enter the wrong hands. He doesn't need her sticky fingers thieving about.

His pointed ears turn up to the subtle sound of his roommate sliding out her bedroom window and easing herself onto the fire escape.

Save torching his clothes for another day, perhaps a bit of revenge is in order. An eye for an eye, one would say.

Lowering his feet to the floor, Klarion steps out of his room and heads towards Kitrina's. A wicked grin graces his black lips as he jiggles the knob. It would appear she too has a penchant for locking doors around here. Silly human girl obviously doesn't know who she's dealing with. This is child's play, really. With the snap of his fingers, the lock clicks and the door creaks open, allowing him entrance. Clasping his hands behind his back, Klarion sticks his nose in the air and takes a step inside.

* * *

At fifty stories high up, Kitrina balances on the edge of the world. Goggles down, she scans the alleyways below for heat signatures. Looking for a fight.

She really shouldn't have let Klarion get under her skin like that. Sure, she was caught red-handed, but that didn't give him the excuse to be a royal ass. And that look on his face...

She balls her hands into fists, her knuckles crunching against the black leather to her gloves. She better find something to punch. And fast.

A scream rings out from the alleyway directly in front of her, just a block or two to the south, across from 58th. Her lips stretch into a Cheshire grin as she unfurls her whip and leaps from her perch.

* * *

Klarion grimaces. Her room is so pink and girly, it's hurting his eyes. Literally. It's all far too bright. He dims the lights with the wave of his hand and proceeds to take a look around.

On the surface, it would appear to be much like any other teenage girl's room. Hello Kitty just about everywhere he looks, Le Chat Noir poster framed and hung above her bed, a walk-in closet filled to the brim with clothes and shoes. He takes a closer look at the photographs adorning her nightstand. Girls in school uniforms, goofing around and making funny faces.

Everything appears to be so _normal_. Though nothing is ever as it seems.

It isn't until you scratch the surface and look beyond the facade do you notice the oddities. He pushes the poster aside to find a descent sized safe buried in the wall. Taped to the side of her nightstand, a combat knife ready and waiting. A trunk shoved all the way beneath her bed reveals a collection of catsuits. Removing one from the box, he finds it to be much smaller than the rest with neon pink tiger stripes adorning the sides. It would appear she's been playing this Catgirl charade for quite a while now.

* * *

A terrified woman stands pressed against the brick wall to the dark and seedy alley, held by her throat by a ruthless thug with a knife. Kitrina lands softly behind his entourage, a group of thugs just as menacing looking as their oh so fearless leader. They bark dirty and obscene insults to the woman, licking their chops and laughing cruelly.

Including their boss, Kitrina counts a total of four of them and only one of her. Satisfied, she grins like a mad cat into the dark night air.

"Hey bozos." Catgirl shouts. "Yeah you."

The entire gang turns her way, the ringleader still with his knife to his victim's throat.

"Now, normally I'd say to pick on someone your own size, but seeing that that's not quite your game..." With a grin, Catgirl lifts her goggles back atop her head. She places her hands on her hips akimbo and purrs. "Come and get me, boys. I'm all yours."

* * *

Sitting at the edge of Kitrina's bed, Klarion bounces on her mattress, scanning the rest of her room. Against the wall closest to the door, he notices one of her dresser drawers is wide open. So blatant. It's just begging for him to snoop around. He springs to his feet and makes his way over.

The clothes she was wearing earlier lie neatly crumpled atop the dresser. She must have removed them and left them there before changing into her catsuit and going out for the night. Klarion tilts his head and stares at her shirt, the paper-thin tank top stretched tight at the bust. The shirt she wore so defiantly as she pressed her chest against his. Without even realizing it, he picks up the garment and touches it to his nose.

It smells so heavily of her scent, the same scent that now sticks to his clothes. He breathes it in deeply, shoving the shirt further into his face. His chest grows tight and eyelids flutter.

Peering down at the open dresser drawer, he makes note of all the frilly unmentionables scattered throughout. A lacy black bra hangs over the edge, like breadcrumbs, enticing him to venture further inside.

* * *

Go after the biggest threat first and work your way down the line. Eyes narrowed, Catgirl targets the big guy with the knife.

The terrified woman runs off down the alley, screaming as her attacker turns his attention on Kitrina. The man runs his tongue along the blade. His gang makes lewd comments and hollers catcalls.

"I'm gonna make you scream, pretty pussy." The big man growls.

"Good." Catgirl purrs. "I like it rough."

He bellows a hearty battle cry, starting deep down in his belly and echoing off the hollow alley walls. A glint of silver slices through the air as he rushes her. With well timed precision, Kitrina catches his arm, the blade only inches from her face. Using his own body weight against him, she shifts her footing and flips him over her shoulder. He slams hard against the wall and lands beside the dumpster, knocking him out cold.

"Ah, come on. That was too easy." Catgirl pouts. She turns towards the rest of his pack who have been waiting patiently for their collective turn. "Care to show a girl a good time?"

* * *

Both exotic and erotic, her drawer is filled with all sorts of interesting unmentionables. From leather bustiers and lacy braziers to a leopard-spotted black satin chemise, just to name a few key items that catch the witch boy's attention. Not to mention the treasure trove of panties in every color and fashion, from the more sporty and conservative boy cuts to the teeniest of tiny g-strings. Klarion's head cocks to the side as he lifts a frilly red thong up from the masses.

As he does so, he notices something shift within the drawer. It sounds like an object rolling to the side. He replaces the thong and proceeds to explore the depths of the drawer deeper, searching for the source of the sound. His fingers graze against something solid and he pulls it to the surface. Lifting said object to eye level, he notices that it's a shiny blue cylinder of some sort. About six inches long, slender and made of a soft plastic material. He lifts it above his head, staring at it in the light, then brings it back down towards his face.

Bringing it to his nose, he notices it has a peculiar scent. Something he's never smelled before. Though it's not a bad odor, far from it. It's actually rather enticing. Arousing even. It makes all the fine hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Curious, he wonders if it tastes nearly as alluring as it smells. Dragging his tongue across its length, he's still not quite sure what it is.

What a strange device. What's its intended purpose?

Turning it over in his hand, he notices a switch. Pressing the button makes the whole thing vibrate and hum.

He swears he's seen such a peculiar device before. On the internet, perhaps?

Eyes wide, his hand shoots to his mouth. He throws the phallic looking device halfway across the room and drops to his knees, spitting into her shag rug.

* * *

With their leader out of commission, the gang of dirty, slobbering thugs come at Catgirl all at once. Crowbars and chains swing through the air as they charge her position.

"Now that's more like it." She purrs between grit teeth. Elbows bent and hands curled into fists, she readies her stance.

Eager to please, the first hood takes a swig at her with his chain. She grabs hold, wrapping the chain around her forearm and with a forceful yank, pulls him towards her. Her knee connects with his gut and he doubles over in pain. An uppercut to the jaw puts him out for good.

Immediately, the second thug comes at her from behind, wrapping his chain tightly around her neck. A third attacker swoops in and slams a crowbar into her side, targeting her ribs as she's firmly held in place. A direct hit to her face makes the whole world spin. She swears she can see stars.

The warm taste of metal fills her mouth, dripping down her throat. Blood trickles from her nose and down her face. If she doesn't get out of this soon, she's done for. Gasping, she grabs hold of the chain around her neck and kicks up her feet. The tips of her steel-toed boots crack against the third assailants nose and he falls to the ground clutching his bleeding face. Continuing her momentum, she swings her body up and over the second thug, landing directly behind him, this time with the chain around his neck.

Jumping up and pressing her knees against his back is all the leverage she needs as she holds the chains tight against his throat. His arms swing violently in the air, trying to swat her off his back. He slams her hard against the brick wall, but she still holds steady. Clawing at his neck, his actions grow more and more desperate until he finally succumbs to her sleeper hold. His body grows limp and comes crashing down to the ground like an uprooted tree.

Panting, she rises to her feet from atop of the fallen goon. Wincing, she touches her side. Every inch of her hurts. She feels like hell. She feels alive. Accomplished, she smiles.

Looking over the mess she's made, all the hoodlums lying unconscious, scattered across the grimy alley floor, she feels so much better than she did before. Limping toward's the fire escape, she begins to head for home.

* * *

Waking from his cat nap, Teekl saunters out into the living room to find his master sitting on the couch with his knees pulled tight against his chest. His eyes are wide and fearful as he stares at the blank television monitor. He appears to be catatonic. Concerned, Teekl hurries over and hops up onto the armrest.

"Would you care to know what the soft insides of a woman tastes like, Teekl?" Klarion asks, still looking straight ahead. "Pheromones and fireworks." He replies in monotone. Turning towards his cat, he stares at him unblinking. "Like the Fourth of July."

Teekl cocks his head to the side, confused. But before he has a chance to respond to his master's strange musings, he hears the soft click of Kitrina's bedroom door unlocking from the inside.

Klarion's spine straightens. Alert. He turns to watch Kitrina, still wearing her Catgirl uniform, as she steps out of her bedroom and walks towards the kitchen, passing him by. She looks completely beat to hell. Split lip and black eye. Bruised and bloody all over with little cuts all down her face and chest. Klarion doesn't even realize it, but his jaw is at his knees.

She notices him staring and rolls her eyes. Stopping for a moment, she yanks on the zipper to her catsuit, concealing her generous bosom, before heading towards the fridge.

"Whatever you're going to say, Blue, I'm not in the mood." She groans as she pulls a carton of milk from the fridge. "Just shut your mouth and save it for the morning. 'Kay?"

Putting the container of milk to her lips, she tilts her head back and drinks straight from the carton. A stream of milk runs from her lips right down her neck, mixing with her caked on blood.

"What the hell happened to you?" Klarion asks, not heeding her words. His eyes are still wide and his mind is still not quite with him.

Placing the carton right back in the fridge, Kitrina turns to head back towards her room. As she passes by the couch, she stops to answer his question.

"A pack of wild dogs." She says with a satisfied grin.


	7. Chapter 6

**_"What's purple and green and bleeds profusely?"_**

**_Ok. Let's get those detective skills goin'!  
Can you guess the new character before the reveal? Fresh baked cookies if ya can!_**

* * *

**WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT?**

It's been unseasonably warm for September in Gotham. Dressed in a little pink sundress, Kitrina sits at an outdoor cafe, sipping her iced coffee as she waits for a friend. Pulling out a compact from her purse, she adjusts her sunglasses, trying to hide the cuts and bruises from the night before. Some things not even makeup can fix, no matter how hard you try.

She sighs and nibbles on the end of her straw. Crossing her legs and bouncing her foot to pass the time. Just an hour before class begins, her books sit atop the wrought iron table right next to her half-eaten scone.

A petite and perky redhead bounces into view. Pulling out a chair, she takes a seat beside Kitrina and tosses her purple purse onto the table. A waiter approaches to ask what she would like. The young woman smirks and removes her sunglasses, placing them atop her pig-tailed head.

"What do you do when life gives you lemons?"

The waiter looks at her, his eyebrow arched. He's obviously confused. The young woman sighs and rolls her eyes.

"Go make me a lemonade." She says with a disheartened groan.

She eases back into her chair and laces her fingers behind her head in an arrogant fashion. Kitrina wouldn't be all too surprised if she were to kick her feet up onto the table.

"Well you look like hell." She jokes. "Get in a fight with a meat grinder?"

"Thanks, E." Kitrina growls. "Nice to see you too."

"Oh come on, I was joking!" The girl only known as E laughs. "But really. You should get some better concealer for that black eye. People are gonna think-"

"What? That I fight crime?" Kitrina interjects.

"No. That your boyfriend beats ya!"

Kitrina laughs sarcastically. The waiter stops by the table to drop off E's drink. Both girls watch as he walks away.

"Gotta have a boyfriend first." Kitrina grumbles beneath her breath.

Shifting in her seat, E looks over her shoulder, making it very apparent that she's staring at the waiter's ass. Her grin stretches.

"He looks yummy." The redhead purrs.

"Not my type." Kitrina groans.

"Of course. Because your type are the backstabbing kind that like to sleep with your roommate. Who, might I add, was a two-timing whore."

"Ugh... Don't remind me."

"I still say you should have let me kill them. Or at the very least, her." She sighs. "But... I digress."

E returns her attention to her drink, picking up the glass and taking a sip.

"So, riddle me this." She continues. "How has your new roommate situation been going?"

Kitrina groans loudly and places her head down on the table. Suddenly, she feels like crawling under a rock.

"That bad?" E asks, raising an eyebrow.

Kitrina picks her head up and runs her fingers through her honey-colored hair.

"He's so... annoying." She begins. "It's like he purposely goes out of his way just to push my buttons. He's mean and weird and-"

"Is he cute?" E interrupts, her straw tucked between her lips.

"WHAT?"

Kitrina looks at her through narrowed eyes, trying to decide whether or not she just heard her correctly. Ever the trouble maker, E stares back at her with a devious glint in her eye.

"I said," E says with a smirk, "Is. He. Cute?"

Kitrina's dying to smack that smirk right off her freckled face.

"I dunno. He's blue." Kitrina replies, rolling her eyes to the side.

Elbow on the table, E rests her chin in her hand, eager for details.

"Like moody blue?" She asks excitedly. "Like a dark, depressing, acoustic guitar playing blue?"

"No. Like BLUE blue." Kitrina explains. "Like Crayola crayon blue."

E's grin widens.

"Interesting." She purrs. "So does that mean he's got a blue coc-"

Kitrina kicks her underneath the table.

"OW!" E shouts, grabbing her shin. "What was THAT for?"

"We are NOT going there!" Kitrina replies. "And besides. He's a metahuman. For all I know, he might not even have the same parts. He could be like all weird down there. I really don't wanna even think about it, ok? Ugh. He weirds me out."

E holds up her hands in surrender and laughs.

"Ok. Ok. Fine." She says with a hint of amusement in her tone. "But, come on. You gotta admit. Aren't you in the least bit curious? I mean, after all, curiosity and cats..."

Kitrina glares at her boisterous friend. Sometimes she wonders if the girl actually enjoys causing problems or if she just likes to hear herself talk. Either way, she's pushing it.

"So what kind of meta is he?" E fishes further. "Super strength? Flight? Melts panties with heat vision?"

Kitrina snorts, nearly choking on her drink. She places her glass down on the table and glares at her puckish friend.

"Magic." She replies after regaining her composure. "Like potions and spells and stuff."

E nods and takes another sip of her drink. Kitrina can practically see the gears turning in that pretty little red head of hers. She doesn't like where this is going.

"You do realize, you still haven't answered my question." E says in a mischievous tone. "Aside from the blue complexion, is he attractive? Like... Tall, dark, and handsome? Does he at least have a nice as-"

Kitrina picks up the remainder of her scone and throws it at her loud-mouthed friend.

"Do you want me to kick you again?"

E dusts the crumbs from her lime-green tank top and pouts.

"Save the abuse for the masks and cowls." She says, shaking her head. "I'm retired, remember? Hell-ooh! Innocent bystander! You're abusing a civilian."

Kitrina laughs, loud and full.

"Innocent, my ass!" She teases, eyes shining mischievously. A sly grin graces her lips. "I think I remember you hitting me over the head with a crowbar the first time we met. E... Nigma."

Eyes wide, Enigma presses her finger to her lips, shushing her friend as she anxiously takes a look around the cafe to see if any one has noticed.

"Shhh!" She hisses. "Not so damn loud!"

Still and silent, she sits for a moment, as if awaiting imminent doom. As if the utterance of her name alone would release a torrent of Justice Leaguers and Rogues alike. Descending upon her position to come and drag her away, kicking and screaming. Once satisfied that no one has noticed, she sits up straight in her chair and boldly flips a curly ginger pigtail over her shoulder.

"And it was a tire iron, if you really must know." She says snootily with her nose in the air.

Kitrina continues to snicker.

"Well SORRY if that night's a bit fuzzy!"

She's known Enigma since way back when. Back when she first took up the mantle of Catgirl. They were both so young back then. Just starting out. So eager to please their mentors. Both wanting so badly to carve out a niche for themselves in Gotham's underbelly. They're so very much alike, actually. What with their daddy issues and all. Kitrina's not quite sure on the details. Enigma's always been, well, enigmatic. A mystery at best. But from what she was told, Enigma's so called father beat her senseless one night and left her for dead. She said it's because she asked too many questions. Ironic, really. Too many questions. She's been keeping a low profile ever since.

"How's that working out for ya?" Kitrina asks. "The civilian gig?"

"Not bad." Enigma sighs, stacking a sugar packet on top of her spoon. "Boring. But it keeps me breathing. So I guess I can't complain."

She raises her arms well above her head, stretching out her muscles before rising from her seat.

"Speaking of the civilian gig, I better be going." Enigma says playfully. "Don't want to be late. _Some_ of us have to work for a living."

Picking up her purse, she produces a couple bills and tosses them onto the table near her finished drink.

"Same time next week?" She asks as she flings her bag over her shoulder.

Kitrina nods and Enigma prepares to leave.

"Oh! One last thing." Kitrina says, stopping her friend in her tracks.

Hand on her hip and head cocked to the side, Enigma awaits Kitrina's question. She knows all too well what's coming. The cat girl asks the same thing of her every time they meet. Still, the question never gets old. Never. No question ever does. And no question ever will.

Resting easily in her chair, leaning back with her arms crossed along her chest, Kitrina looks up at her friend with a Cheshire-like grin.

"So tell me, E. We've been friends a long time now." Kitrina begins, a smirk gracing her lips. "Are you _really _the Riddler's daughter?"

Throwing her arms in the air, Enigma squeals in delight.

"THERE'S that catlike curiosity I've come to expect!" Enigma exclaims with a grin.

The redhead leans in close. Close enough that Kitrina can tell quite clearly her diamond earrings are a fake. With her lips a mere inch from the cat girl's ear, Enigma whispers.

"Now THAT really is a riddle." The girl in green and purple whispers nice and low. "But then again. Are ANY of us really who we claim to be?"

With a giggle and a wave, she disappears from sight. Becoming one with the Gotham crowd.

"See ya later, kitty cat!"

* * *

**_ENIGMA!_**

**_Did anyone guess?_**

**_Just like Kitrina/Catgirl, Enigma/The Riddler's Daughter never really stood a chance in the comics. They were both introduced and cast aside just as quickly, just before the New 52 hit the streets and changed the DC universe as we know it. At the end of Batman #712, we see Kitrina going off to the all-girls boarding school and Enigma is killed(?) by the Riddler (her father?). You never see it, but it's implied. In the whole fanfiction universe I'm creating, since I get to do WHATEVER I like, I've brought her back from the dead, saying that she survived her attack and is living a normal life, laying low. I think she deserves it!_**

**_Lemme know if you'd like to see more of Enigma or if there's anyone else you'd like me to introduce!_**

**_Reviews pretty pretty please!_**  
**_XOXO_**


	8. Chapter 7

_**I think I've decided I wanna do chapter titles from now on. Check back on the previous chapters to see what I've named them!**_

* * *

**TABOO**

Feet up on the coffee table, Klarion thumbs through an ancient tome. Just one of a vast many he's collected over the years and through his travels.

This book in particular is about the forbidden art of necromancy, the power to conjure the dead and raise them from their grave beds. Though taboo amongst most cultures, it's fairly commonplace in Limbo Town, actually. The Grundy men of his boyhood village are nothing more than the risen corpses of his fallen ancestors, brought back to work the fields and yield hard labor. And while it is strictly considered the head Submissionary's role to raise them, Klarion has been known to dabble in such mystic arts from time to time. Perhaps this is why he was chosen at such a young age to lead his people and their town. No other witch man nor woman shall ever be as powerful as he. Of course at the time he had no choice but to decline. The thought of such mind-numbing responsibility and the idea of _settling down_ in any one place was and still is absurd to him. Simply out of the question. His restless bones shall always wander. This stint in Gotham is nothing more than a short respite. He can leave any time he wants to. Or so he tells himself.

Kitrina walks past and he pays her no mind.

She's been quiet lately. Purposely staying out of his way and keeping to herself ever since their little tiff the week before. It's been pleasant, actually. Quiet and peaceful. In fact he hardly sees her at all anymore. She's usually out, doing heavens knows what she does during the day and night. Either out gallivanting in her catsuit or returning home with armfuls of shopping bags. Sometimes she heads out the door with a school book in tow. It would appear she takes a class or two at the local university, although she seems a bit young. Younger than him at least. Seventeen, perhaps?

Such a ripe age for courting. Surely she has many a suitor in line for her hand. No doubt among her kind, she's considered quite fetching. What with her ample bosom and wide birthing hips. Same goes for her silken hair and enchanting eyes. Those full lips and flawless skin... In fact, he'd go so far to almost say she's rather pretty. That is if she weren't such an evil harpy.

She bends over to retrieve something from the lower portion of the fridge and that's when he realizes he's been staring at her all the while. His eyes dart back to his reading and he curses himself for his absent-mindedness. How is it that she doesn't even have to make a peep to cause him to loose his concentration? The swivel to her hips is all that is needed to cause a distraction. He can't even remember where he had left off before she entered the room and his thoughts. With a sigh, he starts the page over again.

Teekl sits beside his master, contently watching as Kitrina goes about her morning.

"_Quit staring._" Klarion scolds his familiar, although it's almost as if he's found need to remind himself.

Ever since breaking into her room and rummaging through her things, it's as if he can no longer look at her without wondering what colorful lacy underthing she might be wearing today. Even worse, she bends over and he can't help but pull up the memory of her sweet essence on the tip of his tongue. The taste of her pheromones invades his every thought, creating the uncontrollable need to fill his mouth with the taste of her again. The thought alone makes his mouth water.

He's never felt like this before and hasn't a clue on how to handle himself and these odd, almost primal urges. It's a good thing she's not here often, otherwise he might just drive himself mad with thoughts of tearing at her clothes with his teeth.

And again he's lost his place on the page.

Of course he hides such shameful thoughts from his familiar and friend. Surely, no good would ever come of it if he were to find out. It's bad enough his lecherous cat has fallen victim to this young woman's charms, he needn't do the same. In fact, it makes Klarion sick just how deeply devoted Teekl has become. Following her around and always jumping in her lap. Draping himself around her shoulders and nuzzling her chin. Sneaking off in the middle of the night to sleep at the foot of her bed. Waiting by the front door until she returns. The bitter sting of jealousy tugs at his heart strings. Teekl used to treat _him_ that way...

Klarion pinches the bridge of his nose. He's been reading the same sentence for the past five minutes.

Teekl stares up at his master with great big eyes and a tilt to his head. He can't for the life of him figure out what has gotten Klarion so upset. He can sense the witch boy's distress, but his mind is completely closed off, blocking Teekl from reading his thoughts. The little cat huffs and looks back towards Kitrina. With an elastic tie between her teeth, she gathers her hair up and pulls it into a messy ponytail.

Klarion stares blankly at the pages before him. Pondering.

In the past, he's sat on teams with female members. Has both fought beside and against members of the opposite sex. He's even kissed a Batgirl. Yet never before has he had such strange and curious thoughts about a woman before. Not that he doesn't have such thoughts from time to time. He's neither eunuch nor saint. That's for sure. He has needs and urges, like any other healthy male of his age, though never such feelings for a particular individual. A particular individual whom he happens to find rather revolting.

The text filled lines of his book become blurred as Klarion narrows his eyes in disgust.

Why his cat feels this human girl is of any importance, the witch boy will never know. She's a harlot. A shrew. A loud-mouthed, annoying, vexing strumpet. Aggravating and insulting and...

Upset at being ignored, Teekl hops up onto the armrest of the couch and watches as Kitrina lays a blue yoga mat down in front of the balcony window. A purr rumbles in his chest as she removes her shirt, revealing a racy black sports bra beneath. Back and forth, his long fluffy tail swishes in the air. His whiskers twitch.

Sensing his familiar's rather euphoric mood, Klarion tries to find what all the commotion is about. Peeking over his dusty hardcover, he catches a glimpse of Kitrina as she takes a seat on her mat, beginning her workout.

Much like the half lotus position he uses while meditating, she begins by sitting cross-legged. Bowing her head forward, she presses her stomach and arms flat against the floor. Rolling her shoulders backwards, she then drags her palms back towards her body and digs them into the mat. The lean muscles in her arms tighten as she pushes off and lifts the lower portion of her body up into the air. Uncrossing her legs, her toes stretch towards the ceiling. Her arms lock and she straightens her spine, positioning herself into a handstand.

So lithe and limber, she moves like a cat. Contorting and bending her body in such ways that it is making it difficult for him to concentrate on anything other. Transfixed, both he and Teekl cock their heads and stare as her legs open into a scissor split. Bending forward, one set of toes touch the floor, then the other as she finds herself upright once more.

Slowly, she drops to her hands and knees, a simple table position. Sucking in her stomach and arching her back, she reminds him of a cat just itching to have the base of her tail scratched. She stretches out her arms and legs, sticking her bottom in the air. A bead of sweat runs down her neck and pools inside her cleavage pressed tight against its harness. A moan escapes her lips.

Klarion's greedy black eyes explore every inch of her, moving from her chest, along the curve of her spine, to her thighs. He can't quite explain it, but something about the awkward position she's in badly makes him want to situate himself behind her. He continues to watch, completely bewitched. Before he knows it, nearly a half hour has elapsed.

The sunlight fills the room and makes her whole body shimmer.

Skin of milk, hair of honey, she's like some sort of ethereal angel in a far off promised land.

Something grips his chest. A feeling that he's not quite sure. It's like a warm and tingling sensation starting in his throat, leading all the way down into his loins. His stomach churns. His heart beats faster. The longer he watches her, the harder it is to control the emotions swirling within him.

Her radiance is absolutely breathtaking. It's like nothing he's ever seen. And her aura... Absolutely, undeniably... Impossible.

"_Teekl?"_

"_Yes, brother?_"

"_…_"

He shakes his head.

Standing up abruptly, Klarion slams his book down onto the coffee table. Hard and loud. Bent over backwards, Kitrina watches from her position on the floor.

"Your lack of decency and abhorrent pink flesh are disturbing me." Klarion hollers across the apartment for all to hear. "I think I shall go for a walk." He turns towards his cat. "Teekl?"

Teekl glances over his shoulder, if only for a moment, before hopping down off the couch and prancing over towards Kitrina, taking a seat right beside her.

Klarion glares at his disobedient cat and sneers.

"Well, I see you have made your choice." The witch boy growls.

Turning up his nose, Klarion heads in the direction of the front door. Alone. His heavy black boots stomp loudly across the hardwood, expressing his utter anger and disdain. The front door slams and Kitrina sits upright. Confusion ruffles her brow as she turns her head towards Teekl.

"What's HIS problem?"

Jumping in her lap, Teekl doesn't answer, all he does is purr.

* * *

**_Alrighty! Battle positions, everyone! Next chapter, we see things finally coming to a head. _**


	9. Chapter 8

_**Ok. So I lied. Sorry! I just had to throw this into the mix. Consider this chapter to be the last straw. The final nail in the coffin... All leading up to the next chapter, so stay tuned! :D**_

* * *

**The Final Straw **

Finishing his double chocolate ice cream cone, Klarion shoves his hands in his pockets and pouts.

He's been walking these crooked streets of Gotham for quite some time now, though the actual number of hours escapes him. He hasn't a clue of the time. It was morning when he first stormed out, but judging by the ever growing size of his shadow, he can tell it's getting late.

Just how far and long has he walked, anyhow? It feels like miles and miles. An eternity of endless asphalt. His mind tries to piece together the events of his day, though he hasn't really been paying attention to his surroundings. All he can conjure are little snippets of the vast many narrow alleyways and busy crosswalks he's traversed. The nameless storefront windows and sidewalks congested with shouting street vendors. A saxophonist on the corner of Larimer and Depew. Countless faces, all a blur as he walks among the sea of noisy human Gothamites.

He can feel their eyes on his back. They whisper in hushed tones and stare with wide eyes. Some mocking. Some afraid. They say things like "how strange" and "he's weird." He feels that by now he should be well accustomed to their jeers. He should just let their comments rolls right off his back. Either that or turn such rude looky-loos into stone statues or frogs or worse. Right now, however, he can do neither. Instead, he takes their abuse, buries it down and continues on walking, paying them no mind.

A strange melancholy washes over him. He's never felt so empty. So alone. It feels as if an integral piece of him is missing. As if he's incomplete. Head down and moving forward, his mind begins to plague him once more.

Just what is wrong with his wayward cat? His familiar has never acted in such a manner before. Perhaps he is sick in the head. Surely, that's it. There's no other possible answer. There must be something terribly wrong for Teekl to have chosen that repulsive female over his own best friend.

And speaking of said repulsive female... Klarion thinks back to Madame Xanadu's words. A beautiful and strong young woman in the guise of a cat. How she brings him to such odds within himself.

Klarion snorts.

Odds... The only odds Kitrina brings him to are the odds of whether or not he should strap her to a pyre and burn her alive. He couldn't care less for the mortal cat girl. The only reason he even looked at her twice this morning was because he was linked with his familiar. Yeah. That's it. Teekl found enjoyment in that little human girl and so having their minds psychically linked caused Klarion to do the same. That has the be the reason. There simply can be no other explanation. To think he might actually harbor some sort of infatuation for the trollop is unfathomable. Out of the question. He refuses to even entertain the idea.

Klarion exhales a heavy sigh. Perhaps he would never understand his cat friend's more primal desires. Girls never exactly were Klarion's forte. He'd be so much happier devoting his time and energy to his studies than in the fairer sex. Hand holding and coupling and romance... A nomadic explorer such as he needs not these things. The world belongs to him, but he and his heart belong to no one. Especially not some masked woman like the last girl he had kissed. That odd girl who tasted like Christmas. However nice and friendly she may have been, he can feel the bile rise to the top of his throat just thinking about her disgusting taste.

Stopping in a back alley, Klarion watches as a group of mice scurry across the filth laden ground. With a wicked grin, he turns to his left.

"Hey, Teekl. You want to…"

Noticing the homeless man eyeing him curiously, again he hangs his head and sighs.

"I am sorry. I thought you were… someone else." Klarion apologizes as he turns back towards the busy street.

He misses his best friend.

Plain and simple.

Surely by now Teekl misses him as well. He must. They've never been apart this long. Not under these circumstances anyway. No doubt he's sitting patiently by the front door, eagerly awaiting Klarion's arrival so that he may apologize for his actions earlier. He'll beg for forgiveness. Beg him to never leave him like that again. Then they can go back to the way things were before. Back before Kitrina and Catgirl and Gotham City. Back when it was just the two of them. Back when that was all that was needed.

Looking up at the darkening sky, Klarion decides it's best to head back.

* * *

Save for one small flickering light, the apartment is dark by the time he returns. All other lights within the apartment are turned off. Not that he minds. In fact, growing up underground, he rather enjoys the dark.

Letting his eyes adjust to the dim lighting, Klarion finds himself a bit surprised to notice Teekl isn't waiting for him by the door as he had previously thought. Perhaps the tabby is too grief-stricken to leave their room.

Slowly, the witch boy makes his way into the shared living room, careful to step over the strappy pair of high-heeled pumps Kitrina has left so carelessly in the middle of the floor. He rounds the couch on his way to his bedroom, his eyes peeking to the side to find Kitrina lying atop the sofa cushions watching television. Stopping dead in his tracks, Klarion makes a double take. Curled up in her arms, fast asleep, is none other than his familiar, Teekl.

Klarion's heart sinks.

How could Teekl just fall asleep without him, not knowing where he was or when he'd be back? He probably didn't even miss him at all. Fighting back the stinging tears in the corner of his eyes, Klarion gulps down the knot forming in the back of his throat.

Taking one looks at the young woman lying there so innocently, Klarion's sadness quickly gives way to anger. This is all her fault. He's not quite sure how, though he really doesn't care. Surely, she is all to blame. With a huff, Klarion plops down on the couch next to Kitrina and crosses his arms. His lips stretch tight into a frown, marring his otherwise sprite-like features.

"Hey." Kitrina whispers as not to wake Teekl. "Where'd ya end up going today? Anywhere fun?"

"Like you care." Klarion growls as he focuses his beady black eyes on the bright television screen.

"Ohhhhkay… Can't say I didn't try."

With the roll of her eyes, Kitrina returns her attention back towards the screen.

Her fingers begin to rake through Teekl's fur, idly stroking along the back of his neck as she watches TV. With a rather large yawn, Teekl cuddles in closer to her warmth, nuzzling his head into her chest.

Klarion sneers at the sight. The sound of Teekl purring is enough to make him sick.

Then, suddenly something very strange happens.

A jolt of electricity runs along the witch boy's spine and he can't help but sit upright. A shudder runs through him.

Alarmed, Kitrina stops petting Teekl to stare at the contorted young man.

"Are you ok?" She asks, worried.

"Fine… Fine." Klarion feigns as he eases back into his seat.

With evil eyes he glares daggers at his mischievous cat, who returns his look with that of pure contentment.

Settling back down, Kitrina begins to pet Teekl once more.

Just as she does so, Klarion's left eye begins to twitch uncontrollably. Clasping his hands in his lap, he stares straight ahead and grits his teeth.

It's exactly the same sensation he felt so many nights ago up on that rooftop. The first time he and Teekl met this blasted Catgirl. Both master and familiar have found themselves linked. Everything Teekl can feel, Klarion can as well. Much to his increasingly growing aggravation.

Kitrina's fingers sweep across Teekl's spine, making Klarion's hair stand on end. Stopping just above his tailbone, she begins to scratch at that sweet spot, making his eyes roll into the back of his head. He can't control his actions. From the softest touch of her fingertips to her nails raking along his skin, the sensation is far too great. He feels like leaping out of his skin. Another shudder runs through him. He swears this time he nearly purred.

Scarier yet, he finds the feeling of her hands along his skin rather enjoyable. He simply cannot take any more of this.

Kitrina rubs Teekl's ear and Klarion melts. Biting his tongue, he keeps himself from panting.

"_Please… Stop it."_

Eying his damnable cat, he begs him to stop, but Teekl refuses to break the link between their bodies and souls.

Along his jaw and under his chin. Klarion's heart begins to race.

Each and every one of his five senses belongs to her right now. He can hear her heartbeat as Teekl burrows his head into her chest. Taste her on his tongue as Teekl licks her smooth as silk skin. Smell her. Feel her. See nothing but her.

Her. Her. HER.

With every stroke of her hand, she is all he can think of. Every second becoming more and more pleasurable than the last. He doesn't know how much more he can take.

"_Stop it. Stop it. Stop it…"_

By now, he's practically pleading with his cat through telepathy, but still Teekl does not give in. If he could grin, he surely would. The mischievous tabby rolls onto his back, exposing his furry belly.

Klarion's skin begins to flush as Kitrina's hand move along his chest. His body starts to warm all over. His pulse thunders in his head.

"_Stop…"_

Her hand travels down his stomach. His pants begin to tighten.

"STOP IT!" Klarion shouts at the top of his lungs. His high-pitched voice echoes throughout the apartment, making the glasses in the cupboard shatter. Wide eyed, Kitrina cowers on the couch.

Panting heavily, Klarion gets up from his seat and silently makes his way back towards the front door, leaving Kitrina and Teekl to watch him as he leaves once more.

* * *

_**PS... If anyone would like to help me out, PM me chapter titles to consider for use! I tend to use song titles, lyrics, etc. (a habit I picked up after writing the fanfic "Lovesong" Check it out if you like odd pairings in the DC universe!) I've been trying to find songs dealing with magic and the like. Such as "Love Potion #9", "Black Magic Woman", "Season of the Witch" etc. etc... So send me a line! Thanks! xoxo**_


	10. Chapter 9

**The Fool**

"With all his worldly possessions in one small pack, the Fool travels he knows not where." Klarion whispers softly to himself. "So filled with visions, questions, wonder and excitement is he, that he doesn't see the cliff he is likely to fall over."

Those were Xanadu's exact words, spoken not too long ago. She called him the Fool. Read him as if he were a story in a book. A story to which he does not know how it will end.

He glances at the Tarot card held firmly in his hand, expecting to gain some sort of insight or perhaps some much needed advice. Instead, the little card remains silent, it's secrets safely guarded. Try as he might, he cannot divine his own future. It's not for him to see, but instead to find out.

Klarion holds the card forward, examining it against the night sky. Against the stars. Its paper corners flap in the subtle breeze as if begging to be released from Klarion's grasp. Even though just an illustration on a flimsy piece of cardstock, the foolish wanderer yearns for adventure. He cannot help it. It's in his nature. Letting go, the card takes flight. Fluttering away into the dark horizon. Away from sight and into the unknown. Free.

The witch boy sighs.

Perched on the edge of the roof, Klarion stares down at his feet hung over the side of the building and wonders what it would be like to fall. The cool night air caresses his skin, ruffling his short, raven-black tresses. He breathes it in, letting it fill his lungs completely, then lets it out in one great breath.

It's always nights like these where his mind cannot rest that he finds himself here, on top of the world, staring down at creation and all the lights in the sky, trying to find his place amongst the rabble of the greater scheme of things.

Teekl jumps up to the ledge and takes a seat beside his master.

_"You should be in bed, brother Klarion."_ The familiar says softly.

Klarion turns his attention up and out towards the city.

"Where is your precious Catgirl?"

There's a bite to his words. The word "Catgirl" sticks in his mouth, tasting bitter with venom and spite.

"_She went out about an hour ago or so…" _The tabby replies, all too aware of his master's tone of voice._ "Tell me, brother. Are you upset?"_

Klarion glares at his cat.

"Upset? I just…" Klarion ceases his train of thought. Quite truthfully, he just wants to scream at the top of his lungs and throw his fist through the nearest brick wall. It's quite frightening, actually. He just wants to fall. Taking a deep breath, the witch boy composes himself to address his familiar. "I just want to be alone." He replies calmly. "I need to think."

_"And what about?"_ Teekl asks as he looks up into his master's face. _"Is it her?"  
_  
Klarion remains tight lipped and stony faced, silent as he continues to scan the city.

_"It is her, isn't it? If this is about what happened earlier, I'm sorry I -"_

"SORRY!?" Klarion laughs snidely. "Do you think this a game? Having fun at my expense?"

_"I was only trying to help."_ Teekl returns timidly, ears tucked behind his head. _"I think you'd rather enjoy yourself if only you would allow yourself to." _

Folding his arms across his chest, Klarion rolls his eyes and pouts.

"Why are you doing this, Teekl?" Klarion asks with a hint of a growl. "Of all the mortals, of all the homesteads... Why here? Why... HER? What do you hope to accomplish with your meddling?"

Teekl cocks his head, a bit unsure as to how he should answer his master. Without piquing the young man's temper further, that is.

_"Meddling, brother? I can hardly be held responsible for the hand of fate."_ The cat replies._ "You may blame me all you like, but it was not I who brought you to that rooftop nor did I bring you to her door. And as for why... Why do you ask questions to which you already know the answer?"_

His aura thick with tension, Klarion sits and broods in silence.

_"She is important, Klarion. That is why we are here. That is why YOU are here."_

"Important? Important HOW? There is absolutely NOTHING extraordinary about her. NOTHING at all!" Klarion nearly shouts at his cat.

_"Are you in such denial that you cannot see the truth?" _Teekl asks with the tilt of his head._ "__Are you really just that blind?_"

A growl rises from within the witch boy, deep and filled with anger.

"Why must you speak in riddles, you dumb cat?"

Turning away from his master, Teekl hops down onto the balcony below and disappears back into the apartment.

"Come back here this instant! I am your master. When I ask a question, you shall obey." Klarion shouts over the edge to the room below. "What is so damn important about..."

Klarion can feel their connection deteriorate. Teekl's no longer listening.

"You know what? FINE! JUST LEAVE!" The witch boy shouts, infuriated. "You can have her for all I care, if you adore her so much. Just leave me out of it! I've never needed you anyway. I'll be so much better off by myself. YOU HEAR ME!? I DON'T NEED YOU!"

"Need who?" Catgirl asks as she approaches in full costume from behind. "Who are you talking to?"

Glancing over his shoulder, Klarion acknowledges her existence before turning his attention back towards the city. Again, he remains silent.

"Were you and Teekl having a fight?" Catgirl pries further, stepping up beside Klarion.

"It is none of your concern." Klarion grumbles in response.

"I'm just trying to help. You don't have to be -"

"Your help is neither needed nor is it wanted." Klarion rudely interrupts, lifting his hand as to silence her.

Kitrina can feel the anger bubbling it's way to the surface. Her cheeks grow hot. Her eyes see red. She's had just about enough of him and his moods.

"Look... Do you have a problem with me?" Kitrina nearly shouts as she tears the goggles from her head and throws them to the ground.

Sensing her hostility, Klarion abruptly gets up from his seat at the ledge to face her. The tension escalates further as Kitrina bridges the gap between them and gets in his face. Their eyes lock. At nearly a head taller than the cat-dressed girl, Klarion stares her down, but still she down not waver.

Once more they find themselves in deadlock, like that time back in his bedroom when he had caught her sneaking about. This time, however, it is different. They can see it in each other's eyes. Neither will back down.

Face to face, so close, a mere heartbeat rests between them.

"You've been a pain in my ass since the moment you got here. If you've got some sorta issue with me, then just say it already. Or if you're so damn unhappy, then why don't you just leave?" Kitrina growls. "Just what is your problem anyway?"

Her aura is so thick with hate, he can practically taste the anguish.

His black lips curl back into a sneer. His nostrils flare.

"Problem?" Klarion snarls. "My problem lies with your persistent badgering. On top of that, you're loud, annoying, and inappropriate... And to make matters worse, you walk around the apartment in these tiny, little outfits like some kind of common whor-"

With a hard smack across the face, Kitrina silences Klarion's outburst.

"Don't you DARE finish that." She hisses through bared teeth.

Doubled over, Klarion places a hand to his swollen cheek as he glares up at Kitrina with glowing red eyes.

"You know what I think?" She muses spitefully, placing her hands on her hips as she leans forward to taunt him face to face. "Teekl's spending all his time with me and you're feeling second rate. I think you're jealous."

"JEALOUS!?" Klarion shouts as he straightens himself back up, his red eyes never leaving hers. "How absurd. How could I possibly be jealous of a no talent, puny little human girl."

"Oh really..."

Her grin stretches to Cheshire proportions. Her eyes narrow and darken.

He wants so bad to wipe that smug expression off her face.

"Ya know... I'm a little hard 'a hearing. Maybe you'd like to say that again." Kitrina taunts with the tilt of her head, egging him on further.

"I said you're an annoyance. Nothing more than a tiny little bug. Hardly worth my time and energy, much less -"

Kitrina shoves him hard, making him stumble back.

He stands for a moment, teetering at the edge of the rooftop, absorbing what just transpired. He's still in utter shock that she had struck him. As if she thought that she could win this.

He takes a step towards her, back into the ring, and touches his chest to hers. Glaring down at her, his piercing red eyes burn into hers.

"You REALLY don't want to fight me, little girl." Klarion says with an arrogant grin. His voice is dark and nearly gloating. "You're absolutely no match for me. I'd HATE to have to hurt you."

She smiles up at him. So sinister and seductive, it makes his blood boil. He's never seen such a look before, certainly never aimed at him. A bit playful and so filled with wrath. It toys with his brain and fills his veins with such fire. Deep down, there's a part of him practically begging her to push him again, just so he can fight. Release this pent-up rage.

She does not disappoint.

Again, she shoves him. Pushing the limits and pushing his buttons. She seems to be enjoying herself, toying with him, much to his growing aggravation.

"You push me one more time and I will not be held responsible for you forcing my hand." Klarion seethes. "You do not want to -"

Her eyes shine like diamonds. With a wicked grin, she shoves him once more.

Anger consumes him. He can feel the dark mystic energy flow through his entire being, down his arms and pooling at his fingertips. His hands glow with bright red flames. They lick at his shirt sleeves and burn with a blinding rage.

Kitrina takes a step back, then another.

Clouds begin to swirl and the sky turns deep crimson. He reaches his flaming hands towards the heavens above. Thunder claps. A bolt of lightning hits a nearby radio tower, creating a shower of sparks.

Kitrina's long hair swirls all around her, caught in the maelstrom of Klarion's wrath. His presence is omnipotent and fearful, but still she stands her ground. Teeth grit tight, her eyes narrow on her unearthly opponent. Then, in a heartbeat she pulls her fist back and strikes.

* * *

_**I'd post the link, but it looks like FanFiction doesn't allow you to do that. Check out my DeviantArt page for a new Klarion illustration! The link to my DeviantArt account is on my profile page here!  
XOXO**_


	11. Chapter 10

_**Second posting in the same week! My treat!  
Thank you so much Blackanomaly & EpicMickeyGirl for the reviews! You guys keep me going!  
As for the rest of you, come on and review! There's a nice big slice of chocolate cake in it for ya! :D**_

_**enJoy the fluff!**_

* * *

**WHITE FLAG**

"Good morning, sunshine."

That voice...

Where is it coming from? On the same note, just where the hell is he? Wasn't he just on the roof? How did he get here? And why for the love of all that is holy does his head hurt so bad? It feels as if someone hit him in the face with a large, wooden mallet.

His body feels like Jell-O. Try as he might, he simply cannot move. Struggling to open his swollen eyes, Klarion finds himself propped up against the refrigerator, sitting on the cool kitchen floor. Teekl perches on the counter nearby, his eyes filled with worry and concern.

Klarion groans.

The room is so bright, he hisses as he strains his eyes, slowly letting them adjust to the light. With blurry vision, bit by bit the room comes into view. He focuses his attention on the girl kneeling before him.

Still in her skin-tight catsuit, Kitrina sits in Klarion's lap, her knees on either side of him as she straddles his lithe and rather immobile form. One hand rests behind his neck, keeping his head elevated as the other hand holds a bag of ice to his throbbing nose.

Head still swimming, Klarion tries to make sense of his situation, but for the life of him, all he can concentrate on is how warm her body feels against his. Her chest pressed to his, he can practically feel her heartbeat through the leather of her costume. Or maybe that's his own. Why is it so fast? He struggles to calm himself down, but his heart keeps racing faster.

Something stirs within him. Strange feelings that he can't quite comprehend. They grip at his chest and tie his stomach up into knots. His head feels fuzzy, as if dizzy from a lack of oxygen. Such an odd sensation. It warms his skin and leaves his mouth dry. Dumbfounded, he stares into her face and smiles a big and goofy grin.

"Hi." Klarion croaks dreamily.

"Hey." Kitrina replies softly, returning his smile. "Feeling better now?"

He tries to answer, but cannot find the words. Instead he looks up at her and smiles, lost in her eyes.

Her thumb rubs up and down the nape of his neck, comforting him further. He feels tingly all over, just underneath his skin. It makes the tips of his pointed ears blush and his skin feel electric. If he could purr, he surely would.

The gentle hum of the refrigerator fills the awkward silence.

"What... What happened?" He asks, still groggy.

Removing her hand from behind his head, Kitrina rubs her neck anxiously.

"Well... You see I..."

Suddenly, it all comes flooding back. Klarion's eyes shoot open.

"YOU HIT ME!"

Kitrina shifts uneasily in his lap.

"Now don't get all wound up."

"But... You HIT Mmm-"

Placing the ice bag over his mouth shuts him up.

"What was I supposed to do, hm?" Kitrina scolds as she leans into him. "You went all crazy disco lights on me! I thought you were gonna turn me into a frog or something! I had to defend myself."

Grabbing hold of her hand, Klarion pulls her away from his mouth so that he can speak.

"DEFEND yourself?" Klarion whines in his high-pitched tone. "It was all YOUR fault. If you hadn't instigated..."

A trickle of blood runs from his nose and down his chin. Quickly, Klarion grabs his face with one hand as he begins rummaging around inside his breast pocket for a handkerchief with the other.

Returning her hand to the back of his neck, Kitrina helps by holding his head upright. Reaching into his pocket, both she and Klarion grab hold of his handkerchief at the exact same time.

Like a cat backed in a corner, his eyes narrow on hers, silently warning her to back off.

"Please..." She says softly, practically begging him to trust her. "Let me help."

For an uneasy moment, Klarion eyes Kitrina suspiciously before ultimately giving in and handing her the hanky. Slowly, he moves his hand away from his nose. Surrendering to her, although begrudgingly.

"If you hadn't been so mean, then I wouldn't have pushed you." Kitrina purrs as she dabs at his nose with the handkerchief. "And for the record, this puny little human girl knocked you flat on yer ass with just one punch. Guess I'm not so useless after all." Muttering beneath her breath, she adds, "And I'm NOT annoying."

Klarion smirks at that last part.

Carefully, Kitrina begins cleaning the blood from his face. Softly stroking his fair skin with motherly ease. Little by little, he finds himself giving in. With soft eyes, he watches as she works.

Her skin is so soft against his, like velvet. So warm and comforting as her fingers sweep against his skin. His eyes watch hers, so intense and just as warm as she wipes away the blood from his nose.

"Well… The good news is it doesn't look broken." She says as she tenderly touches his nose. "You'll probably just have a couple'a black eyes for… um…" Noticing his already raccoon-like eyes, Kitrina stops mid-sentence and smiles wide. "Well… The good news is it isn't broken!"

The situation is so foreign to him. Aside from his mother dressing his skinned knees when he was a much younger lad, he's never had anyone care for him in such a way. Klarion doesn't know what to say. He just sits and listens to her babble, filling the silence as she concentrates on cleaning his face.

"Your skin is so… blue." She hums in amazement. "I've never seen anything like it. It's so cool."

He watches as her lips move, but can't concentrate on what she is saying. His mind is occupied elsewhere, staring at the faint little freckles that dot the bridge of her nose.

"Well… I mean… Mr. Freeze has blue skin too, but… Well, that's just different." She continues. "Your skin is BLUE blue. I mean, REALLY, really blue!"

Why is she doing this? Why can't he concentrate?

Her catsuit is unzipped just slightly below her neckline, revealing her collarbone. Staring at the expanse of milky-white and oh so satiny smooth skin, he's found himself fascinated with the deep valley of her clavicle. It draws him in completely. He's never seen anything sexier. So feminine...

His throat feels so dry. He licks his bottom lip and gulps down hard.

He tries to think of something else. He's had quite enough blood loss for one day, he dares not let his mind wander to the fact that there's a girl sitting in his lap. Her thighs around his. Nothing more than a few simple bits of fabric separating them...

He feels another nosebleed coming on. The room begins to spin just a little bit faster. Why is it suddenly so hard to breathe?

His eyes shoot to hers.

He's forgotten she's still talking.

"Not that there is anything WRONG with blue skin." Kitrina rambles on. "I mean… Yours is actually really pretty. NO! I'm not saying YOU'RE pretty. Well… You are. But… I mean-"

Klarion touches his hand to hers, stopping what she is doing as well as her line of thought. His eyes stare deeply into hers and again she shifts uncomfortably. Taken off guard, a soft blush warms her skin.

"Why are you being so nice all of a sudden?" Klarion asks sincerely.

Kitrina sighs and finishes cleaning Klarion's face, placing the hanky down in her lap.

"Because I AM nice." Kitrina says with a soft smile. "Look... I think we got off on the wrong foot. What'ya say we start over?"

He stares down at his blood-soaked hanky in her lap then back up at her face. Her eyes seem so sincere. Perhaps he was wrong about her.

"Only under one condition." Klarion says sternly, eyes narrowed on hers. "I am NOT a pilgrim. And you will never refer to me as such again."

"Understood." Kitrina replies with a giggle, throwing her hands up in truce. "I won't call you that ever again. Promise."

With a sly grin, she extends her hand for him to shake.

"And I'M not a whore. Got it?" Kitrina informs him with fiery eyes and that same sly grin. Offering him her hand, she awaits his reply.

Klarion stares up at his cat perched atop the counter for guidance, but his only response is a deep and hearty purr.

Maybe Teekl was right about her.

Maybe.

He stares at her outstretched hand.

Oh. What the hell…

With a grin to match hers, he accepts her hand, thus forging a new alliance.

"Klarion Bleak." He introduces himself as if for the first time. "Of Limbo Town."

"Kitrina Falcone." She replies, her hand still in his. "Of Gotham City."

Climbing to her feet, she pulls him up with her.

"But, please. Call me Kitty." She extends with a Cheshire smile. "All my friends do."


	12. Chapter 11

**BRAND NEW DAY**

Sitting atop the folding table to the coin-operated laundromat just down the block from their apartment, Klarion shovels another spoonful of frozen yogurt into his mouth as he watches the wall of washing machines spin.

Just across from him, Kitrina bends forward to unload her machine. His eyes briefly canvas her heart-shaped behind before shooting towards the window and out into the street.

Though he can't see him, Klarion can feel his familiar close by, chasing down mice in the alleyway out back. The sign on the door had said 'No Pets Allowed', and although he argued that Teekl is hardly a pet but more of an extension of himself, the owner didn't agree.

Klarion sighs and returns his attention back towards his new found "friend." Or perhaps _ally_ would be the correct term. Two people with a mutual understanding and respect for one another. Acquaintances at best.

Just yesterday he would have considered her to be his mortal enemy, but in light of recent events and much to his cat friend's persistence, he's given her a second chance. She did buy him a treat, after all. Not as sugary sweet or nearly as fatty as the ice cream he prefers, but tasty nonetheless.

Lifting out a damp armful of her unmentionables, Kitrina loads them into a nearby dryer and slams the door shut with her hip. She deposits several quarters into the machine and turns a series of knobs to make the contraption come to life, shaking and humming loudly. With a satisfied grin she turns on her heels and prances back over to Klarion, hopping up onto the counter to take a seat beside him. Reaching into the brown paper bag at his side, she pulls out a container of frozen yogurt and sets it in her lap.

"So, any word on how long it'll take 'em to get the bloodstains outta your... uh... jacket?" Kitrina asks, trying to make small talk as she slips a spoonful of yogurt between her lips.

"It's a doublet." Klarion corrects. "And she said it would most likely take about an hour."

He looks down at the white cotton tee shirt that she had let him borrow. He feels so naked leaving the house in such attire. As to why she has men's clothing at the ready in her apartment is just another thing in a long list of many he will never understand about her.

"Good!" Kitrina exclaims gleefully. "Just let me know how much I owe ya. I still feel pretty awful for popping ya in the nose."

Crossing her legs Indian style, she turns her body to face him head on.

"How are you feeling, by the way? Does it still hurt?"

She leans forward, motioning to touch his nose, but he jerks his face away.

"It's still a bit sore." He replies bluntly.

"Sorry." Kitrina says softly with an apologetic smile.

Together, they sit and eat their treats in companionable silence, watching as people mill about the laundromat.

"So..." Kitrina begins, once again trying to engage the ever difficult Klarion. "What's the story with your cat? You said he's your _familiar_? What does that mean, anyway?"

Klarion rolls his eyes and sighs. Of course a non-magic individual such as herself wouldn't understand. It wouldn't be the first time. He dreads having to explain it to everyone he meets.

"He's my companion. He serves me in my magic." Klarion begins. "We share a common bond. Umm... Like a link between our souls. Sometimes our bodies as well. For instance, when connected, I can see through his eyes or smell through his nose and vice versa. It can be quite useful, really... But lately it's been more of an inconvenience."

His eyes become distant and lost in his treat. With the slightest hint of a frown, he swirls his spoon around idly.

"You guys fight a lot, don't you?" Kitrina asks softly.

"Only as of late." Klarion replies with a heavy heart. "I've known him for as far back as I can remember. We're more like brothers really. He's my best friend in the entire world. We do everything together. He's _always_ been by my side... But, lately he's been acting... strange. I really can't describe it, but it all seemed to have happened around the time of his coupling."

Kitrina raises an eyebrow.

"Coupling?" She asks with the tilt of her head.

"Umm... Mating practices." Klarion clarifies. "Love making."

"Ahhh..." She replies with a knowing grin, finally getting the point. "Your friend is in heat."

"Was." Klarion corrects, waving his spoon in the air. "His urge to mate has since been satiated and yet... I don't know... Things are just different now."

Chomping on the end of her spoon as if deep in thought, Kitrina's eyes narrow on Klarion, studying him thoroughly. After much deliberation, she removes the spoon from her mouth and points it at him accusingly.

"So now YOU'RE in heat."

"WHAT!?" Klarion nearly shrieks, taken aback. "Don't be absurd!"

With a hearty laugh, she returns the spoon to her mouth.

"Oh, come on! No need to get upset." Kitrina purrs, sucking on the end of her spoon just ever so slightly. "So you need a little tail. No big deal."

Red in the face, Klarion glares at her.

"I'm not looking for a mate." Klarion hisses.

"Oh yes you are. Everyone is." Kitrina replies. "That's the point to everything, isn't it? Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat... Or something like that."

Dipping a slender finger into the styrofoam bowl in her lap, she scoops up the remainder of her creamy vanilla yogurt and lets it drip into her mouth. Klarion's blush deepens a couple shades darker as her tongue swirls around the tip of her finger, lapping up the remnants of her treat.

"So do your people... Croatoans? You're mammals, right? You... like... mate like us and have the same parts and stuff for the uh... coupling thingy?" She asks as she places her finished container back inside the bag.

Klarion stares at her wide eyed and slack-jawed. He simply doesn't know how to address her and her ignorance.

"I don't know whether I should be impressed that you remembered the name of my people correctly or deeply offended by the fact that you think we very well might lay eggs or something." He replies.

Kitrina laughs and hugs her knees up to her chest.

"Sorry, I don't mean to be rude or beat around the bush." She laughs. "It's just that you're a _metahuman_. I have no idea how you reproduce. Guess I'm just curious, is all!"

Metahuman.

The term doesn't escape him nor does it go unnoticed. It's something he's heard on more than one occasion since making his way up to the surface. It's the word these human creatures use to describe beings such as himself. The strange and unusual. The mutated and evolved. Those with super powers and abilities. Beyond the human race.

She props her chin up on her knees, tilting her head demurely and smiles.

"The more we get to know each other, the less awkward this whole living arrangement will be. So I wanna learn. But I can't learn if you don't tell me. And you can't tell me if I don't ask." She says. "Get it?"

There's a bit of a detective streak in her that Klarion doesn't much care for. He's still not quite sure how much he chooses to share and divulge with her or just how much he even cares to get to know her as well. Still, with a sigh, he submits.

"Though hyper-evolved, the Croatoans are still at it's very core a subspecies of human." Klarion extends. "My people are not much different than you in terms of physiology. We have the same _parts_, as you so put it." His tone of voice gets a bit snippy. "There are male and female Croatoans and together we make babies and having been doing so for centuries now. So, yes. We are MAMMALS."

Kitrina giggles into her knees, amused at how easy it is to get under his skin.

"Alright, got it." She purrs. "See? That wasn't so hard."

The witch boy still seems rather pouty. He avoids Kitrina's gaze and instead chooses to stare at her dryer, watching as the time ticks away.

"So... You got a girlfriend back home?" Kitrina asks simply.

"No." He replies in monotone.

She raises an eyebrow and smirks.

"Boyfriend?" She asks.

Eyebrows raised in shock, Klarion turns to glare at her.

"WHAT?!"

Kitrina laughs and touches her hand to his shoulder.

"Just teasing!" She giggles. "Don't be so uptight. Blue."

Klarion finds himself grimacing. Though she's kept to her word about never calling him the "P" word again, she's found a penchant for referring to him as "Blue." Teekl claims it's a pet name. Nothing more than a term of endearment. Though, Klarion finds it rather annoying.

"So when's the last time you got laid?" Kitrina asks nonchalantly, breaking his concentration.

"I think that's none of your business." Klarion huffs crossing his arms and glaring idly out the window.

"That bad, huh?" Kitrina says with the tilt of her head and a scrunched up nose. "Dude. No wonder you're so irritable lately. We need ta get'cha a girlfriend."

Klarion opens his mouth to protest, but it's already too late. With the buzz of a dryer, Kitrina hops down from the folding table and strolls away to claim her laundry.

With a sigh, he stares down at the half eaten yogurt in his lap, no longer frozen but now just a soupy mess. Replacing the lid to the container, he tosses it back inside the brown paper bag. Hoping down from the table with bag in tow, he makes his way towards the garbage by the front door.

By the time he turns around to make the trek back towards Kitrina, he notices that she is no longer alone. Standing beside her is a tall and well-built man. He's dressed in a black guinea-tee and tennis shorts which only accentuate his firm and fit physique further. He boldly leans in towards Kitrina just a little closer than socially acceptable, practically trapping her against the dryer, but she doesn't seem to mind. Twisting her hair around her finger, she giggles as he flexes his muscles and talks about nothing. He rummages around inside his pockets for a little scrap of paper to which she writes something down on. Then, with a wave he departs.

"What was that about?" Klarion asks as he approaches Kitrina, his eyes following the unknown male as he exits the laundromat.

"Hm? Oh. His name is Chad... _umm_... Something or other." Kitrina replies as she finishes emptying the contents of the dryer into her laundry basket sitting on the floor. "He just asked me out for tomorrow night."

Klarion eyes her skeptically, trying not to pay any mind to the red frilly panties lying so boldly atop her pile of clean clothes. The same pair that had caught his eye as he rummaged through her underwear drawer not more than a week ago.

"Do you know him?" He questions.

"MMmm... Nooo. Can't say I've ever met him before." Kitrina replies, shutting the door to the dryer. "Why? Do YOU know him?"

"No. It's just... That was rather sudden, don't you think?"

Picking up her basket, she makes for the exit with Klarion following suit.

"Not really. I mean... That's how life works." Kitrina replies as Klarion opens the door for her. "I live in the fast lane, baby! Ya snooze, ya loose! Live fast, love hard, die young. You know what I mean? Things happen fast here in the city. You gotta keep up the pace."

Together, they walk outside and head towards the dry cleaners next door.

"I suppose."

Again, he opens the door for her and they duck inside.

Handing the woman behind the counter his ticket, she hurries off to fill his order.

Resting her laundry basket down on the counter, Kitrina begins rummaging around in her purse for her wallet.

"You just gotta put the vibe out there, Blue. Stop being so standoffish." Kitrina continues as she pulls out several bills. "And smile more. You have such a handsome smile."

He's taken aback by her words. No one's ever said anything so nice to him like that before. Usually people are pointing out his oddities and calling him weird, not handsome.

"Really?" He asks in a small and sheepish voice.

"Yeah. You should really give yourself more credit." She replies. "Tell ya what. How 'bout I show you around the city, tour all the hot spots and show you where all the kids our age like to hang out. Maybe we'll even find ya a girl along the way. So what'cha say? I promise you'll at least have fun. No one knows this city like I do."

Klarion eyes her for a moment, unsure what to say. Teekl had said she was important. Could this be what he meant? Someone to help guide him around the city and teach him more about this world?

With a genuine smile, he nods.

"Yes." He agrees. "I'd like that very much."

The shopkeeper returns and hands over his doublet wrapped in a clear cellophane bag. Juggling her laundry basket and her purse, Kitrina hands the woman the money and tells her to keep the change.

"Here. Let me help you with that."

Tossing his garment bag on top of Kitrina's pile, Klarion takes hold of the basket and smiles brightly. She stares at him for a moment, at first unsure as to how she's supposed to react to his chivalry, but then smiles in return and relinquishes the basket.

"Thank you."

* * *

_**Did anyone notice?**_  
**_See if you can catch the Dr. Horrible references scattered throughout!_**


	13. Chapter 12

**TIE A YELLOW RIBBON ROUND THE OLE OAK TREE**

Hands in his pockets, Klarion walks beside Kitrina along a busy Gotham street. Teekl hurries close behind, happy to finally be included in their merriment after being left outside the laundromat for so long. Klarion had run upstairs to change back into his usual attire and to drop off Kitrina's clean laundry, depositing the basket on her bed, and now much to Kitrina's persistence, they're off to "hang out" or whatever it was she called it.

"Aren't you hot?" She asks, motioning towards his heavy leather and cloth doublet.

Klarion looks over towards the young woman walking beside him. Her long honey hair is tied back into a pony tail and swept to the side over her shoulder. She's wearing a loose-fitting bright yellow tank top over a pair of cutoff blue jeans and tennis shoes. One of the shoulders to her top leans to the side, exposing a slender pink strap to her brassiere.

The witch boy shrugs his shoulders and sighs.

"I'll manage." He simply replies.

It's true. He doesn't much care for this weather or the seasons of the surface world. His home is so much cooler and darker and damp. There is no sun or heat or light. Perhaps that's why he's found himself so fond of Gotham. Such warm, bright days like today are quite the rarity. It's usually much more blackish and cloudy. Depressing and dark.

Head down to shield himself from the sun, Klarion squints his eyes in the brightness and keeps walking.

Kitrina smiles and grabs the pair of black Ray Bans from atop her head. She hops in front of Klarion, stopping him short, and places her sunglasses on his face, careful of his still sore nose. She balances on her tippy toes, aware of his tall height, and cocks her head, smiling up at him.

"There." She says with a grin before spinning on her heels and walking away.

Klarion stands dumbfounded for a moment, staring at her back as she walks further and further away. Coming back to, he sprints to catch up to her.

"Thank you."

She shrugs and slips her hands into her back pockets.

"No prob. You looked like you needed 'em more than I do, anyway." She replies. "Just be glad I wasn't wearing my pair with the little pink flowers. You would'a looked DARLING in those!"

Looking forward, he carefully adjusts the frames on his face before returning his hands to his pockets.

"Where are we going anyway?" He asks, both curious as well as actually attempting to engage her in small talk.

The gesture doesn't go unnoticed to her. Keeping her eyes on the path ahead, she smiles.

"Robinson Park. Straight ahead." She says as she gestures forward with the nod of her head. "Figured it's such a lovely day, why not just find a shady spot by the water. Maybe grab a hot dog or something."

Seeing the entrance to the park, Teekl runs ahead to scout out a spot, leaving Kitrina and Klarion to continue on walking side by side.

To say this urban oasis is merely a park would be a gross understatement. It's more of a garden of Eden, vast and bursting with life in the midst of this concrete jungle. How such beautiful greenery can grow in this abysmal city setting is surely a thing of magic.

Kitrina grows concerned as Teekl becomes lost in the tangle of shrubbery and trees.

"Follow me." Klarion instructs as he links his mind with that of his familiars so that he may follow in his footsteps.

Together, both he and Kitrina traverse the great lawn in search for their feline friend, stopping to pick up a trio of hotdogs from a cart vendor along the way. They come upon a lush grassy area shaded by an old, overgrown oak tree to find Teekl resting underneath. Klarion and Kitrina secure their spots in the grass, making themselves cozy as they unwrap their lunch.

Teekl trots over and settles in between them, filling the gap and lying down in the grass.

Kicking off her shoes and dipping her toes into the crystal clear waters of the lake, Kitrina takes a big bite of her hotdog. Klarion sits beside her, breaking the third hotdog into smaller bite-sized pieces and laying them down on the ground so that Teekl may partake. Once finished, he too digs into his lunch.

"I thought cats are supposed to hate water." Klarion remarks, eyeing her feet.

Kitrina giggles and wiggles her toes around in the lake.

"Not all cats. Tigers love to swim." She replies with a sly grin. "I enjoy getting wet."

Something about the way she says "wet" excites the witch boy. His eyes remain fixed on her bare feet. So dainty and desirable, swirling around in the water. Submerged right up to her slender ankles.

Catching himself, Klarion stares down at his half-eaten hotdog, bashfully hiding the smirk from his face. Out of the corner of her eye, Kitrina catches wind to the witch boy's coy smile. It gives her hope that perhaps she's gotten through to him just yet.

"So tell me about yourself." She says freely. "What do you like to do for fun?"

Finishing her meal, she saves the last bit of bread from her bun and shreds it into tiny bits. A group of ducks gather, swimming several yards away as she tosses them the remainder of her food. Finishing his meal as well, Klarion watches as she feeds the ducks.

"Mostly read, I suppose. I take great enjoyment in learning new spells and the like." He answers thoughtfully. "Though I much prefer to feel the grip of adventure. The excitement. Battling evil foes... A bit of mischief along the way tends to be nice as well."

Tossing the remainder of her bread out into the water for the ducks, she claps her hands together to get rid of any crumbs. Once cleaned, she wipes her hands along her legs.

"I totally get where you're coming from. The excitement, I mean. I LIVE for that!" Kitrina exclaims. "Like what kind of adventures have you been on?"

Crossing one leg over the other, Klarion leans back into the grass, propped up on his elbows as he stares out across the water.

"I've battled great and terrifying judgement beasts. Ruled over an evil future race. Bartered souls with Felix Faust. Stolen power from Mary Marvel. Teamed up alongside Batman as well as Robin and Batgirl on several occasions..."

Klarion trails off, staring up at the clouds as they pass along in the sky. Her head lazily turned towards him, Kitrina watches him as he does so, studying his facial features with a bit of a sly grin.

"I can't decide if that makes you a villain or one of the good guys." She says in a bit of a flirty tone.

Klarion chuckles up towards the sky, more of a witch-like cackle than a laugh. It's perhaps the first time she's seen him drop his defense and actually be himself. He turns towards her with a devilish grin.

"Perhaps that makes me a little bit of both." He replies in just as devilish a tone. "I'm good at being bad. And bad at being good."

Head back, Kitrina laughs loud and full.

"I guess that makes two of us!" She says with a smirk. "Playing sides is so... passé!"

A gentle breeze blows through, making the grass sway and ruffling Klarion's hair. The water ripples and the cattails bob and dance. Elbows on her knees, Kitrina watches as the ducks swim away.

"What about you?" Klarion asks. "What would you say has been your greatest adventure?"

"GREATEST adventure?" Kitrina repeats, thinking over the question. "Mapping Devil's Square and going up against Black Mask, I suppose... But then again, I'm a true believer that _the greatest adventure is what lies ahead_."

Klarion smiles wide, picking up on the fact that she's just quoted The Hobbit. He knows the ballad well.

"Today and tomorrow are yet to be said." He continues where she's left off. "The chances, the changes are all yours to make. The mold of your life is in your hands to break."

"EXACTLY!" Kitrina exclaims, tossing her arms in the air and falling back into the grass. "The future's up to us. We can fill it with whatever we like. BE whatever we like. Hero. Villain. Who CARES as long as you have FUN! Right? Life's too short to be bored and boring."

"I couldn't agree more." Klarion says, nodding his head.

Between them, Teekl purrs, content with the fact that his two teenaged humanoid friends are not only talking, but enjoying each other's company as well.

"So what do _you_ like to do for fun?" Klarion asks, extending to her the same question she had asked earlier.

"Boys, partying... Robbing banks and getting chased across rooftops by strange men in tights." Kitrina jokes, waving a hand in the air to emphasize her point. "Y'know... Typical girl stuff."

Klarion laughs. Sitting upright, he hugs his knees up to his chest and stares down at Kitrina, watching her intently as she plucks a blade of grass from the ground and sticks it between her lips. Crossing her arms behind her head as she lays on the ground, she closes her eyes, face towards the sky.

Looking at her now, peacefully lying in the tall grass, it's hard to imagine her in the same negative light he had once painted her in. To see her and know that she puts on that costume every night. No armor. No weaponry. No magic. Nothing but a little bit of leather, that whip and her wits to protect her. How bloody and bruised she had returned home that one night...

He hadn't noticed before, but with her arms above her head, laying the way she is, her tank top raises just ever so slightly, showing off a portion of her mid-section. Her side is purple and raw looking. Still not completely healed from her run-in with those "wild dogs" as she had put it.

A part of him feels awful. As if it were all his fault that she had stormed out the way she had and gone looking for a fight. Though he would never admit feeling this way, nor would he ever apologize. Perhaps later he would concoct some sort of ointment for her. Something to diminish the bruising and speed up recovery. Although she conceals it marvelously, she must be in great pain. One would never know.

What compels her to put herself through such danger?

"You don't wear a mask." Klarion points out. "Is there a reason as to why you feel it unimportant to conceal your identity?"

"I wouldn't say it's unimportant... It's not like I advertise where I sleep or anything." Kitrina replies, opening her eyes and turning her head towards the witch boy. "It's just that... What's the point of a secret identity when it's hardly a secret. I mean, I USED to wear a mask, but it's not like the bad guys don't already know who I am. The good guys too... Hell... Even YOU knew who I was and I'd never met you before in my life! And it's not like I have anyone worth protecting. Selina can take care of herself and no one's really gonna cry over me when I'm gone. Celebrate, maybe... But mourn? I guess what I'm trying to say is, there's no reason for me to hide."

She turns her head back towards the sky, a small but warm smile on her face.

"Live like you are dying. Like tomorrow will never come." She says softly. "Screw the consequences and enjoy the moment. Right here and now."

The corners of her lips remain fixed in a smile as she closes her eyes once more. Klarion rests his chin on his knees, looking out across the lake as he lets her words seep in.

As they continue to rest under the shade of the old oak tree, he finds his gaze wandering over towards her every now and again. She looks so soft and warm. At peace as Teekl snuggles in for a catnap. Klarion watches as her chest rises and falls with every breath. Like a cat lounging in the sunny spot of a window, she too seems so close to sleep. So content.

The witch boy can't help but smile.

They say a cat's most vulnerable areas are its chest and underside. So when a cat rolls onto her back to expose its belly, that means she trusts you completely. Living with Teekl, Klarion knows this little fact to be more than true.

Looking at Kitrina lying on her back, he wonders if he has actually gained her trust. And wonders why he even cares.

"Y'know what, Blue?" Kitrina says softly into the breeze. "I'm glad we became friends."


	14. Chapter 13

**BEHIND CLOSED EYES**

Alone, he travels. Floating. Falling. Along the vast astral planes of existence and the deepest valleys of nothingness. His mind explores them all. Reaching the unreachable and grasping for the impossible. All the answers of the world are for him to find and to command, all he need do is open his mind and look within.

Klarion steadies his breathing. His pulse slows.

In a state of complete awareness, he asks for inner peace. He asks for guidance. He asks for knowledge. He asks for power. He asks for so many things and finds the answer he is seeking so very close. Remarkably close. The answer to all is standing before him. All he need do is reach out and grasp it.

It calls out to him. Beckoning.

"Klarion?"

That voice…

Breaking from his meditation, Klarion can hear Kitrina calling to him from her open bedroom door.

"What is it?" He calls back in reply, keeping his eyes closed in hopes he may return to meditating shortly.

With Teekl at his side, the witch boy sits beside the window in the living room, in just about the same exact spot that Kitrina tends to do her morning yoga routine. Legs crossed and spine straight, he sits in the half lotus position. His head turns towards the direction of his disturbance. Kitrina.

"Have you seen my panties? Y'know, the red, lacy thongy ones?" Kitrina calls over to him from across the apartment. "I can't seem to find them. Weren't they in the basket?"

Though his ears redden ever so slightly, Klarion's face remains stoic and cold.

"No." He replies in monotone.

"Are you sure?" She asks again. "They didn't fall out when you brought up my laundry, did they?"

Just at the corner of his mouth, his lip twitches.

"I haven't the foggiest."

Scratching her head, the cat girl returns to the depths of her bedroom, muttering beneath her breath.

"Huh... I coulda sworn I tossed them in the wash..."

Even though his eyes are closed, Klarion can feel Teekl's glare upon him. With his nose in the air, he raises his eyebrows and turns his head away from his familiar. His lips stick out in a pout.

"What are you looking at?" The witch boy scoffs.

Teekl remains silent.

Though he can hear Kitrina in the other room getting ready for her date, Klarion returns his head back to his face forward position and attempts to meditate again. Within several minutes, he can feel his mind begin to clear and wander.

His breathing slows and steadies once more.

"So how do I look?"

With a groan, Klarion opens an eye to glance at Kitrina standing before him.

He must admit, he's taken aback. All done up with makeup and perfume, she's simply breathtaking.

She reminds him of a doll made of porcelain he once saw along his travels. So timeless and perfect. So fragile. It's so hard to imagine that just beneath the surface of this timid, little kitten lies a much more dangerous adversary. There's a tiger lurking underneath.

Opening his other eye, to observe her full on, Klarion tilts his head to the side as he searches for the appropriate answer.

Candy apple lips, so glossy and red, they seem to pop against her creamy, milk-white skin. Hair done up in curls, it almost looks like silk. Little honey-colored ringlets frame her heart-shaped face.

His eyes move slowly up and down her body.

Such long, toned legs. Such full, wide hips, Such large, ample…

Pulling on the hem to her tight, black miniskirt, Kitrina seems to wilt under his discriminating eye.

"Please…" Kitrina groans in a slightly angry tone. "Please don't say I look like a wh-"

"You look like a queen." Klarion interjects. "That is what a female cat is called, correct?"

A hint of rouge sets into her skin, staining her chest and cheeks. With wide eyes, she stares at the witch boy for a moment. She seems to be caught off guard by his answer. Her fingers weave into her hair, coiling a slender curl around her pinky as her eyes find the floor.

With a bright but bashful smile, Kitrina turns away, darting off to collect her purse and keys.

As if lost in a daze, Klarion's eyes follow her curvy behind for just a few steps before he collects himself and closes his eyes once more, returning to his mantra.

Behind closed eyes, he can hear a cellphone ring.

There's footsteps down the hall.

The front door opens and closes.

The sound of metal as she slides her key into the lock.

Klarion breathes in deep and exhales a sigh of relief.

Silence.

Nothing but silence is left for him, although her perfume still lingers, playing games with his mind and leading his thoughts astray. Sitting alone in the quiet living room, he focuses on her scent. Spicy and sweet, it elevates his heart rate. A smile warms his face, tugging at his cheeks.

Teekl hops into his lap, breaking his concentration yet again.

"Now what?" Klarion groans, screwing his eyes shut and pinching the bridge of his nose.

When Teekl doesn't answer, Klarion sighs and opens his eyes to stare down at his pesky cat. It's become painfully obvious that he shall not be meditating tonight.

"What?" Klarion repeats.

The tabby stares back up at him with large, worried eyes.

_"You're not really going to let her go out with that man, are you, brother?"  
_  
Klarion stares down at the tabby, unsure what to say. With a befuddled look, he just tilts his head and purses his lips.

"You're not seriously going on with this little infatuation of yours are you?" Klarion sighs. "I already explained this to you. She's not really a cat. You cannot mate with her. Understand?"

_"I'm not speaking on my own behalf, brother."_ Teekl says through Klarion's mind_. "Are you not concerned in the least what that man might do to her?"  
_  
"DO to her? Of course I know what he will DO to her, dressed the way she is…" Klarion replies, rolling his eyes. "But that is hardly the question, Teekl. The question is, WHY must I be concerned for her? And don't you DARE just say because she is IMPORTANT, or so help me..."

Teekl uneasily shifts in his master's lap, either unwilling or unsure how to answer the question.

"See? You can't think of a single good reason as to why I should stop her. And you know why? Because there isn't one." Klarion returns. "She may carry on with her promiscuities to her hearts content for all I care. Whatever sins she's planning on committing tonight shall be none of my care nor concern. Now, if you don't mind, I plan on returning to my meditation."

Closing his eyes, Klarion attempts to clear his mind, but it's no use. He can still feel Teekl sitting in his lap, refusing to leave. The tabby's eyes are still upon him, burning a hole through his closed eyelids.

"You're not leaving, are you?" Klarion sighs, his eyes still closed.

"_I was under the impression that both you and Kitrina had become friends._" Teekl replies, not budging an inch from his seat. "_Did you not have a good time with her in the park?_"

Klarion snorts.

"But of course I had fun. And yes, we're friends... I suppose. Barely." Klarion returns. "That hardly puts me in charge of her private affairs. Her love life doesn't concern me in the least. Why should it? She's YOUR little fascination. Not MINE. So stop trying to push her upon me."

Teekl chuckles within the witch boy's head.

"_MY fascination?_" The tabby laughs. "_It was not I who pocketed the young lady's unmentionables and hoarded them away beneath our bedsprings. I only wonder what you shall do with them once I have retired for the night. Do you plan on pleasuring yoursel-_"

Alarmed, the witch boy's eyes shoot open.

"NOTHING! I plan on doing NOTHING of the sort." Klarion cries, throwing his arms in the air as he cuts his familiar off. "I simply needed an article of her clothing for a spell. That is all."

This only piques the devilish little cat's curiosity further.

"_What sort of spell?_" Teekl wonders in a teasing tone. "_A love spell, perhaps?_"

"WHAT? No!" Klarion gasps. His facial expression is that of pure disgust. "It's a banishing spell... To keep her from entering my room again. We may be friends, but that doesn't mean I fully trust the little thief."

Teekl tilts his head, trying to wrap his furry little head around his master's bold-faced lie.

"_So let me get this straight..._" The familiar huffs. "_You stole something from her... just to keep her from stealing from you?_"

"Precisely." Klarion grunts, folding his arms across his chest.

Teekl sighs and rolls his eyes.

"_And out of an entire basket of laundry, you chose to pilfer her panties._" The cat begs to question. "_If you really needed an article of her clothing, wouldn't a SOCK have sufficed? Perhaps a blouse?_"

Klarion shoos the cat from his lap but Teekl doesn't go far. Taking a seat at his master's side, he continues to stare up at Klarion with a look that causes the witch boy unease.

"I really don't care WHAT you think." He says snootily, nose in the air. Settling back down into his seat, Klarion closes his eyes and attempts to relax. "Now if you don't mind..."

Still determined to get his way, Teekl huffs and recalculates the situation. Perhaps it would be best to appeal to his master's darker side rather than the soft and fuzzy side of him that causes the poor boy nothing but confusion.

_"Please, brother. Let us make mischief."_ Teekl pleads with a hint of evil in his tone. _"If we sabotage Kitrina's date, I promise to behave. I will not ask anything more from you ever again. Please?"_

Peaking open an eye, Klarion quirks a slender brow at his crafty, little cat.

"Sabotage her date?" Klarion reiterates Teekl's words skeptically. "You do realize what she'll do to me should I do such a thing, don't you?"

Images of her beating him into a grease spot in the carpet flash across his mind, and yet… A narrow smirk slithers across his thin, black lips. This could be quite fun.

"You promise not to bother me any further if we do this?" Klarion asks as he takes hold of his familiar and lifts him up into the air to stare him in the eye. "This whole infatuation you have with the Catgirl will end?"

If Teekl could grin, he surely would. A hearty meow escapes his whiskered lips in agreement as he excitedly swishes his fluffy tail.

Grinning ear to ear, Klarion places Teekl back down in his lap and the little cat scampers off, racing towards the door.

"Well, then…" Klarion beams wickedly as he gets to his feet. "Let us make haste. We have a date to stop."


	15. Chapter 14

_**Early chapter this week! enJOY!  
XOXO  
**_

* * *

**LET THEM EAT CAKE**

He's never been inside such a fancy restaurant before. So many sights and sounds and smells. Ladies in dresses and pearls and men dressed to impress with shiny watches and slicked-back hair.

Through Teekl's eyes, he can see the whole restaurant in motion as his cleaver, little cat sneaks around from table to table, seeking out Kitrina as Klarion waits in an alley out back.

Creeping underneath a white linen tablecloth, Teekl watches as a nameless woman removes her stilletto-heeled shoe and runs her foot along the inseam of the man opposite her's pants.

Klarion grimaces.

The mating rituals of this world are so completely foreign to him. There's far too much emphasis on sex. They act as if finding a proper spouse and mate is completely relevant to the size of one's libido. As if it has nothing to do with good genes or proper compatibility. As if it has nothing to do with love.

But then again, perhaps these people aren't looking for a life partner or someone to grow old and procreate with but instead a _good time._ A "hookup" as the urban youth of Blue Rafters would call it.

Perhaps he and his kind are old-fashioned, but such behavior is strictly unheard of where he's from.

Teekl darts underneath another table, then another, beneath the legs of countless waiters and patrons as he continues his search for the elusive Kitrina.

Then, something hits him.

That scent.

That scent he knows so well.

Like strawberry fields and fresh summer rain with but a hint of danger hidden just beneath the surface.

It's enthralling. Simply tantalizing. Amazing. Like catnip.

Breathing in deeply, Klarion lives through Teekl's senses, letting her sweet smell consume him as Teekl hunts her down.

Like a bloodhound chasing a fox through the forest, he picks up her scent amongst the sea of a thousand others, cancelling them all out and concentrating solely on hers. He lets her scent lead him, like breadcrumbs, she's now become quite easy to find. With a new sense of determination, Teekl darts in the proper direction, closing in on his target. He lunges underneath one last table and stops.

Looking through his familiar's eyes, Klarion knows that they have finally found the right table.

That aura. That scent. Those long, slender legs with the black, patent leather pumps.

They've reached their destination.

Sitting beneath their table, Teekl listens to the conversation happening topside, just on the other end of the tablecloth. Kitrina doesn't say much as her date continues on about something Klarion can't quite follow. His voice is a deep baritone, smooth and velvety. No doubt women love to hear him talk just as much as he does.

Klarion remembers the man well from the laundromat just the day before. How he imposed on Kitrina's personal space. His hands on her. That grin. It makes the witch boy sick.

Surely he's doing Kitrina a favor by sabotaging her date. This man is a louse. A complete waste of her time. Sure he has a pretty face and bulging muscles, but it's all a front. There's nothing underneath. He's absolutely empty within. His aura is all wrong for her. They simply don't belong.

Plain and simple, Klarion doesn't like him.

"Stick to the plan." The witch boy growls as Teekl stares lecherously up Kitrina's tight skirt.

With a huff, the furball races out from underneath the table and takes a seat directly behind Kitrina. Willing his tiny, furry body to assume his were-form, he begins to change and grow.

Swirling her Shiraz around in her wine glass, Kitrina tilts her head back and takes a hearty sip, completely ignorant as to what is happening just behind her shoulder.

Teekl continues to grow, quickly becoming a horrific monster over seven feet tall with great big claws and razor sharp teeth. Gobs of drool drip from his jagged maw. A growl rises within him.

Klarion can't help but laugh as Kitrina's date's eyes grow wide with fright.

"A… mm..m-m-mo.. MONSTER!" The man shouts in terror as he points an outstretched finger at the savage cat.

The world seems to stop.

As if in slow motion, Kitrina turns her head to look over her shoulder. Her eyes widen. Her jaw drops. Then, suddenly recognition sets in. Squinting her eyes, she stares at the were-cat.

"Teekl?" She mouths, hardly making a sound.

A terrifying roar erupts from the cat-beast and time regains speed once more. All at once, the restaurant erupts in a frenzy, men and women alike screaming and scrambling for their lives.

Kitrina attempts to stand, but is knocked over in the mayhem. Sticking close to the table, she decides to ride out the storm in order to keep from being trampled.

From her position on the floor, she watches as the beast's claws scrape across the ceiling, making bits of plaster rain down upon the ensuing chaos.

And then she hears it.

A maddening cackle echoes through the building, shaking the foundation and making the hair on the back of her heck stand on end.

If there were ever any doubt as to who or what was behind this madness, she now has her proof. There's only one person in all of Gotham capable of committing such mischief with a laugh such as that. That high-pitched nearly pre-pubescent voice that hangs somewhere in the balance of sing-song and brash.

The laughter becomes louder, nearly ear-piercing. Taking cover on the ground, Kitrina covers her ears as the chandelier above her shatters and bursts into a brilliant display of glittering crystal and sparks.

Looking out across the restaurant, Kitrina notices a woman just a table away, caught in the stampede just as she is. She huddles beside her upturned table, completely terrified and directly in the path of the less than stable chandelier. A crack runs along the ceiling, splintering like spider veins. More plaster falls as the entire building quakes. The cat girl can hear the walls groan from the weight, threatening to cave in upon them. A chunk of ceiling becomes dislodged, falling towards the ground, right above the huddled woman's head. She's merely a pedestrian caught in the witch boy's crossfire. Bad luck for her that this black cat crossed her path tonight.

"If I make it outta here," Kitrina growls as she quickly rises to her feet, "I'm gonna friggin raise his rent for this."

There's no time to think. All she can do is act. Leaping across the debris littered floor, Kitrina shoves the woman out of harm's way, taking her place beneath the falling rubble. And not a moment too soon. Stunned but out of danger, the woman scrambles to her feet as Kitrina covers her head and prepares for impact.

Gritting her teeth, she shuts her eyes tight and holds her breath.

She never screams.

She never cries.

She never begs.

And then the room darkens and all becomes silent.

The moment passes, but the impact never comes.

Is she dead? If she's dead, then why is her heart beating so fast?

She counts to three before opening her eyes.

Removing her hands from her head, Kitrina opens her eyes and slowly looks up. The boulder sized chunk of ceiling has stopped in midair, just several inches away from her head. She lets out a shaky yet grateful sigh of relief as she climbs to her feet, careful of the still hovering rubble.

Besides the sound of the broken up floor crunching beneath her feet, silence fills the air.

Kitrina slowly walks around the hovering boulder, still a little bit in shock but also so very much in awe to Klarion's magic. The vast raw power he yields as well as the utter discipline and control over the chaos he creates. It's remarkable, really. Running her fingers through her hair, she shakes out the dirt and dust that have become entangled. She scans the room to take inventory of the situation.

Upturned tables, broken dishes, food here and there, but not a single soul in sight. She thanks her lucky stars that they've all made it out safely.

Hanging from a single wire, one of the smaller chandeliers just a couple feet away finally breaks loose and falls to the floor in a loud crash.

Feeling eyes on her back, she turns around to find Teekl sitting on what was once a marble statue. He's no longer large and monstrous, but has returned to his normal, everyday housecat-like form. With a sound much more reminiscent to a laugh than a meow, the orange tabby hops up onto his master's shoulders as the witch boy triumphantly emerges from the darkness of the restaurant.

Dress torn and fists clenched, Kitrina stands her ground as Klarion approaches. Her eyes narrow as he stops just an arm's length away. Standing before her, he takes a bow and pulls out her chair.

Fists still clenched, she eyes the witch boy skeptically as he politely offers her the seat. He doesn't say a word, nor does he look her in the eye as he continues to lean forward and wait for her to sit. Slowly, her fingers unfurl.

Finally and uneasily, she accepts, and in doing so, he pushes in her seat and heads to the opposite side of the table to take a seat, himself.

Something about this seems so surreal. She watches quietly as he bends over to grab a napkin from off the floor, then places it daintily over his lap. Finding the bottle of Shiraz undisturbed, Klarion reaches across the table and pours himself a glass. Somehow, surprisingly her glass still stands unharmed.

"Your date left rather hastily." Klarion says, finally breaking the silence. Tilting the bottle forward, he refreshes her glass.

Glaring at the witch boy, Kitrina folds her arms across her chest.

"I have NO idea why…" She growls with a bit of a smirk.

"The WHY shouldn't matter. It's irrelevant." Klarion replies, sniffing his wine glass. "It's the very fact that he left you defenseless against -"

"I'm HARDLY defenseless." Kitrina interjects.

The witch boy sighs.

"Again… Irrelevant. Whether or not your date knew that is hardly the point." Klarion points out, extending his wine glass to clink glasses with hers. "You're a lady and should be treated as such. Just because you CAN fight, doesn't mean you should HAVE to. He's a coward in abandoning you."

"So, what was all this then?" Kitrina asks, motioning with her hands to the destruction surrounding them. "To teach me a lesson in chivalry?"

Taking a sip of his wine, Klarion grimaces and sticks out his tongue.

"No…" Klarion laughs as he tosses the wine over his shoulder, letting it splash against the white tablecloth directly behind him. "This was just for fun!"

Smiling wide, Klarion reaches over to the table beside them and confiscates its previous inhabitants barely touched German chocolate cake.

Placing it down on their table, Klarion offers Katrina a fork.

Again she stares at his outstretched hand. Debating her options, Kitrina raises a graceful brow before leaning across the table and accepting his offer.

"I knew it was you all along, y'know." Kitrina says with a sly grin as she slips a small forkful of cake between her lips. "You're lucky I don't feel like breaking your nose all over again."

"So I take it you're not mad?" Klarion asks as he shovels a heaping forkful of cake into his mouth.

She tilts her head, playing with her fork as she mulls over the idea of whether or not she's going to let him slide. Her eyes meet his and he smiles, teeth stained with chocolate and crumbs running down his chin. She giggles.

"Nah… He was SO boring! He just kept going on and on and on about gyms and bench pressing and how much money he makes and…_ugh_…" Kitrina groans, running her fingers through her hair. "WHY can't I just meet a DECENT guy, huh? Is that SO much to ask?"

Placing another forkful of cake in her mouth, Kitrina can't help but smile.

"Ya'know you actually did me a favor by showin' up. A couple more minutes with him and I'm pretty sure I was gonna stab him in the throat with my butter knife." Reaching between her cleavage, Kitrina produces a wad of bills. "Not that tonight was a TOTAL loss."

Mouth too full of cake to speak, Klarion just eyes her and the money curiously.

"Hey... Don't look at me like that." Kitrina giggles roguishly. "I swiped it off oh-whats-his-name just as soon as the date started going south. I say I've EARNED it. The coward DID leave me DEFENSELESS, after all."

Klarion swallows his food with a chuckle and Kitrina follows suit, throwing her head back and laughing full heartily along with him.

Somewhere in the distance, a siren wails. Red and blue lights paint the night sky. Surely, Batman is already on his way to break up their fun. But right now, none of that matters.

Together they sit and eat cake, laughing as the restaurant falls apart around them.


	16. Chapter 15

**BIRDS OF A FEATHER**

Raising his arms well above his head, Klarion stretches out his tired muscles and yawns loudly. He can hear sounds coming from within the apartment. Kitrina must already be up and no doubt Teekl is along with her. For the life of him, he can't quite seem to keep that dumb cat of his away from her.

Scratching his belly underneath a loose-fitting undershirt, Klarion walks into the kitchen to find Kitrina pouring herself a bowl of cereal and Teekl practically dancing at her feet, rubbing up against her leg and begging for attention.

"Hey." Kitrina greets as she places the box of cereal back down on the counter. "How'd ya sleep?"

"Not bad." Klarion responds as he reaches inside the fridge to pull out a container of orange juice. "Sure beats the sewer, anyway."

Snickering, Kitrina sidles up beside him to place her carton of milk back inside the fridge.

"I never know when you're joking." She giggles and gives him a slight nudge with her hip.

With a quirked eyebrow, Klarion watches from behind his glass of orange juice as Kitrina picks up her bowl of cereal and makes for the couch.

Teekl follows closely, jumping onto her lap as she sits down, then hopping up onto her shoulders to rest as she prepares to eat.

Watching his best friend act this way, Klarion's not quite sure how he's supposed to feel or react. Perhaps Kitrina was correct. Perhaps he really is jealous.

Then again, Teekl DID say that he was going to drop this little infatuation he has with her. It would appear that was a lie. Something to manipulate Klarion into doing what the cunning little familiar wanted.

Still, Klarion shouldn't let his familiar's actions get to him the way they do. He shouldn't care if Teekl's found another friend. He shouldn't be jealous or upset.

But he is.

Placing his glass in the sink, he walks out into the living room and takes a seat on the couch beside the unlikely pair.

"If he's bothering you, you know you can just tell him to leave." Klarion informs Kitrina. "It's important to remember that he's not a normal cat. He can fully understand the human language."

Kitrina laughs and rubs Teekl's head, just behind his ear.

"I know that!" She giggles. "And quite truthfully, I really don't mind."

With a nod, Klarion reaches towards the coffee table for the morning paper. He picks it up for a moment before sighing and placing it back down.

"I just feel as if I should apologize for the way he's been acting." Klarion continues, turning his attention back towards Kitrina. "I'm really not sure what has gotten into him lately. He usually doesn't act this way. Especially around strangers or people he's just met or really ANYONE for that matter. Quite truthfully, I don't believe he has ever even acted this way with ME before…"

Finishing her cereal, Kitrina places the bowl down on the couch. Hopping down from her shoulder, Teekl inches towards the bowl to lap up the remainder of her milk.

"No need to apologize. I already told you. I really don't mind." Kitrina reassures the distressed witch boy. "I'm the Catgirl. It kinda comes with the territory, I suppose. I mean… Cats just love me, I guess."

"I guess…" Klarion mumbles, staring at his overjoyed cat as he buries his head deep inside her cereal bowl.

Out of the corner of her eye, Kitrina can see the witch boy staring. His eyes seem so lost and filled with such sadness. Sometimes she forgets just how close these two are. It makes her feel bad that she had called Klarion jealous that one night. She really shouldn't have made fun of him like that. It's apparent just how much Teekl means to him. It goes well beyond the boundaries of owner and pet. Beyond friends. Beyond brothers. It's as if they're linked at the soul. Like Teekl's the only thing Klarion actually has to hold onto in this world. Otherwise, he's all alone.

Once Teekl has finished, Kitrina takes the bowl away and places it down on the coffee table nearby.

Teekl stares up at Kitrina with big, green eyes and meows. With a smile, she places her hands underneath his armpits and picks him up, plopping him down on Klarion's lap.

Klarion looks up at her, unsure of her actions. Kitrina returns his glance with a warm and tender smile.

"You don't have'ta worry. I'm not gonna STEAL your best friend away from you." Kitrina says as she scratches Teekl's head one last time.

"I know that…" Klarion replies sheepishly. His eyes find his lap, followed by a small but coy smile.

"And besides, he's not my type." She teases, leaning down to Teekl's level so that she can stare him in the eye. "Sorry, lover boy. But I like guys with a little less… fur."

Petting his familiar, Klarion begins to laugh.

"Is that your only requirement for a proper mate?" Klarion asks with a sly grin.

"No. But it's a start!" She giggles in return.

Flopping onto her back, Kitrina sprawls out on the couch, letting her arms dangle over the side and shoving her bare feet in Klarion's face.

"I like a guy with strong hands, y'know? Easy on the eyes, but not exactly pretty. A REAL man. Tall, dark and handsome. The works!" Kitrina squeals, flicking Klarion's nose with her big toe. "Someone who has the guts to bend me over their knee and spank me when I'm bad! Make my toes curl. Make me SCREAM!"

Shoving her feet out of his face, Klarion throws her a wicked look.

"You're deviant, you know that?" He smirks.

"I've been called worse." Kitrina replies with a shrug and a grin. "And besides, I AM a cat, after all. And this pussy cat likes to be pet."

Klarion chuckles at her perverted joke. The tips of his ears warm to an arousing shade of red.

Running his hands through Teekl's fur, Klarion pictures Kitrina's ideal man. An image comes to mind.

"You do realize that you've just described your failed date last night to a T." Klarion teases. "Are you sure that's the kind of man you're looking for?"

"Ugh… Ok, fine." Kitrina groans, recalling her date from hell. "New requirement. He has to be INTERESTING too. Oh… And running off in the face of danger and leaving me to fend for myself is a no, no as well."

Getting to her feet, Kitrina bends forward and grabs her empty cereal bowl. With a languid, cat-like stride, she heads towards the kitchen.

Klarion's eyes follow her the entire way, set squarely on her buxom behind. Tilting his head, he dazes off, watching as she struts away. If he squints his eyes just ever so slightly, he can just make out the color of her panties through the paper-thin material of her pajama shorts.

"How 'bout you, Blue? What do you look for in a woman?" She calls out to him from over her shoulder.

Teekl groans, informing Klarion that he's petting him too hard and snapping the poor, dazed witch boy back to reality. Internally, Klarion scolds himself for his absent-mindedness. Why is it that his eyes always tend to find themselves glued to her rear end? It's like they have a mind of their own.

"Hn? Oh… I'm not exactly sure. I've never really looked before."

Returning to the couch, Kitrina takes a seat beside Klarion.

"What do you mean you've never looked?" Kitrina asks, quirking an eyebrow.

"It's just not something I've ever taken much stock in. I've never paid much attention to the opposite sex. I suppose I've just always been busy elsewhere. What with battling demons, exploring new worlds, bartering souls and seizing power… Mischeif making. I've hardly had time to settle down."

Giggling, Kitrina places a hand on Klarion's chest as if to stop him.

"Woah! Woah! Woah! No one said anything about _settling down_." She replies, stifling her laughter. "First ya gotta FIND a girl in order to settle down. Y'know... Have a bit of _fun_ along the way."

Klarion looks at her, trying his best to decipher what she means by "fun".

"Come on... You gotta have SOME idea what you're looking for." Kitrina continues. "What's the _purrrrrrfect_ woman like? Huh? Your _dream girl_."

The cat girl snuggles in close to the witch boy, resting her back against his side as she playfully rubs her head against his shoulder. Klarion can't help but laugh as she says the word "perfect", rolling her tongue as she emphasizes the word much like a cat would. Tilting her head back, she stares up into his face with a Cheshire-like grin, waiting for his answer.

"Well..." Klarion begins, resting his head against the back of the couch and staring up at the ceiling. "I suppose she would have to be pretty."

Kitrina snorts.

"Well that's a given. What else?"

Without even realizing it, his head leans slightly to the side, touching hers.

"Croatoan women bore me. They're so rigid and pious." He continues. "Perhaps a human sorceress or another being of magic origin skilled in the mystic arts would suit me well. She'd have to be powerful. Someone worthy to stand beside me. Though not a soldier such as I. A woman. Soft and delicate. A motherly figure in which to bear my offspring."

With a crooked brow, Kitrina gives him the stink eye.

"Kids?" She groans. "Really?"

Klarion shrugs.

"Eventually. Yes." He replies simply. "There are many things I'd like to be. A father is but one of them. In time."

Kitrina slumps in her seat, groaning loudly. Klarion chuckles.

"I take it you don't much care for children."

"It's not that. I mean, I like OTHER people's kids just fine. But for me..." She pauses for a moment, thinking. "Can you really imagine me with a big ol' belly trying to fit into a skin-tight leather catsuit?"

"You could always retire."

Kitrina laughs.

"Oh please. You can take the girl outta the cat. But not the cat out of the girl. I'll run rooftops till I die. " She replies with a grin. "And besides, my life's much too dangerous and I've got way, way, way too many enemies. It just wouldn't be fair to bring a kid into an equation like that. I wasn't exactly brought up in the most loving of households either. I just couldn't do that to someone else. I wouldn't wish that kinda life on my worst enemy. So yeah, playing _mommy_ just ain't for me."

Klarion's eyes fall down and to the side, meeting Kitrina's upward gaze.

"Then it's a good thing you and I are not a match." He replies. "Not that it would matter. But even if we tried, we couldn't breed at all."

"Oh? And why's that?" She asks in a flirty teasing tone.

Again, his eyes find the ceiling.

"While our anatomy is compatible, our make up is all wrong. Beings of magic require vast amounts of energy. A common human simply would not be able to carry such a child to term. It would very well end up killing the mother. Her body wouldn't be able to keep up with the demand of the child draining her of her life force and aura." Klarion replies in chilling monotone. "And that is a very large IF conception even occurs in the first place at all. Truthfully, a mortal mating with a Croatoan is akin to a peacock mating with an owl. Just because they're both considered birds, doesn't make them a suitable pair."

Unblinking, Kitrina stares up at Klarion with a blank expression on her face. She's not quite sure whether she should be disgusted or fascinated. Her eyebrow quirks.

"Ok... _Um_. TMI?" She groans.

"What?" Klarion asks, unsure what she means.

She giggles and gets up from her seat, leaving the spot at Klarion's side warm from where she had cozied up against him.

"Too much information." She laughs. "But yeah, I'm with ya on that one. We are SO not a match. Sorry Blue, but you're not my type either. And a good thing too. I don't exactly feel like letting any guy near me, let alone _breeding_ right now."

Klarion's eyes follow as she makes her way towards the window at the far side of the room, the same one both he and she tend to perform their daily routines in front of. The rising sun peeks through the glass, casting her body in a glowing light as she raises her arms above her head. Moaning, she stretches out her muscles.

The bottom of her shirt raises well above her navel, revealing her soft and supple skin. The witch boy notices her bruising has yet to improve from the day before. It still looks quite bad.

"Is it painful?" He asks her from his position on the couch.

She turns her head, a bit taken aback by his question. She's not quite sure what he means. Following his gaze, she looks down at her side.

"Oh this?" She asks, realizing what he's talking about. With a shrug, she replies. "Like a bitch, but what can ya do? I've been through worse."

Teekl hops up onto the witch boy's shoulder as Klarion gets up from his seat to approach her. She keeps her arms in place above her head, yet watches him with apprehension, still unsure what he's about to do.

Nearly touching her skin, he places a hand to her side. Frightened, she shrinks away.

"Let me help you." He says softly, eyes set square with hers.

Again he leans in to her and this time she allows it. Just his fingertips at first. Slowly and carefully, his skin meets hers.

She hisses in pain as he lays his palm flat against her side. His eyes glow red and the skin beneath his hand begins to warm and tingle. Though just as soon as the sensation arises, it's gone in a flash. And with it, so is the pain.

She looks up at him, eyes wide.

So much is running through her head at the moment, so many questions and emotions, yet she can only manage two words.

"Thank you."

Klarion shrugs and places his hands down at his side.

"No worries." He replies. "You fixed my nose, so it is only fair that I fix your side."

Still amazed, she lowers her arms to touch her side. Though still severely bruised, it no longer hurts.

"How'd you..." She begins.

"Just a bit of simple mending." Klarion answers. "While I can hardly consider myself skilled in medicinal magic, I can at the very least do this much to ease your pain. I've also been working on a salve to help with the bruising. I'll bring it by once it is finished."

A small smile warms her face. She lowers her chin, staring at her bruised side to hide the fact that there's tears welling at the corners of her eyes.

"Thank you." She repeats, this time in a much smaller voice.

Klarion tilts his head.

"It really is nothing t-"

Throwing her arms around his wafer-thin form, she pulls the witch boy into a hug. His eyes bulge, unsure what to do. He's never been embraced by a girl before. She feels so warm against him.

After a rather awkward moment of her head resting on his chest and her arms wrapped around his back, he finally gives in and returns the gesture. With his arms around her, he smiles.

* * *

_**Thank you so much to my faithful followers, especially EpicMickeyX, booklover1598, and Blackanomaly for your reviews! It totally keeps me going! Keep it up! I'd love to hear from the rest of you too! Please review!  
XOXO**_


	17. Chapter 16

**SHARP DRESSED MAN**

Staring at the masculine and modernly dressed mannequins standing before him, Klarion wonders how he got dragged into this mess. Aren't his old clothes good enough?

Black breeches with white stockings and an armored doublet to match. Simple yet sturdy with buttons and buckles for a bit of flair. His Croatoan attire may be modest, but it's all the rage back home.

Lifting up his arms, he looks himself over and can't for the life of him figure out what's wrong with what he is wearing. Just as he does so, a little girl passes behind him and snickers to her mother. His cheeks begin to grow hot as he listens to their taunting whispers.

He'd like nothing more than to turn the girl and her mother into sightless, slimy newts. Perhaps throw the entire department store into another dimension composed of nothing but sea water. Cut out the wicked little child's tongue and feed it to his cat... With a grumble, he swallows down his anger. His fists clench at his side.

"HEY-A!"

Kitrina pops out from behind a rack filled with men's clothing, catching Klarion off guard and making him jump back in surprise. Clutching an armful of clothes to her chest, Kitrina bends forward and laughs aloud heartily.

"What did you do that for?" Klarion huffs as he straightens himself back up.

"Dunno." Kitrina replies with a smirk. "Guess you just had that faraway look on your face that just BEGS to be messed with."

His less than amused expression just makes her grin widen.

"You enjoy tormenting me, don't you?" He sneers.

"You know it, Blue. But only cuz I like ya." Kitrina teases before remembering the heaping mound of clothes currently in her possession. "Oh, here! I found these for you. Go try them on."

Klarion folds his arms across his chest and huffs, staring at her armful of random clothing with a look of disdain.

"Why?" He groans defiantly.

He's never had anyone tell him what to do before, especially not some _girl_. He's yet to learn that a woman will always get her way. His defiance is futile.

"I already told you why." Kitrina replies, rolling her eyes. "YOU'RE the one who said you wanted to learn more about modern Gotham culture and kids our age and stuff... So you might as well LOOK the part. Save the armor plating and fancy pants for hero business. You need something a little more COOL. And a little less..."

"Strange?" Klarion interjects, as if to finish her sentence.

There's a bite to his word, as if he's laying down a trap for her to step right into. Her eyes meet his. She crooks an eyebrow and remains silent, not playing into his game.

"Just try them on, okay?" She returns. "Like it or not, you're going with me to a party tonight, remember? We don't got all day."

Pushing the pile of clothing into his arms, she spins him around and points him towards the dressing rooms.

"But, Kitty... I really don't feel comfortable-"

"MARCH!"

What choice does he have? She might as well have a gun pointed to his back as they make their way across the department store. And things don't get any better once inside the dressing room either. He practically has to kick her out of the changing area and slam the door in her face to keep her from nosing about. With a sigh, he slumps against the wall and begins to undress, all the while nervously eyeing the ginormous pile of various tops and bottoms laid out in front of him.

Folding his doublet neatly, he sets it aside, on top of the little bench provided in the dressing room corner. He looks himself over in the mirror. His reflection stares back. So grim and dressed in nothing more than his undergarments. Tall, gangly and thin. And blue. So very blue with deep, blackened eyes. Doesn't Kitrina realize? It doesn't matter _how_ she dresses him, he'll always look _different_. He'll always be strange.

With a sigh, he looks back towards the pile of clothing. His shoulders slump further. Perhaps it would be best to start at the top and work his way down.

Pulling a garment over his head, he nearly has on some contraption known as a 'hoodie' when Kitrina begins hopping up and down, trying to get a better look at him from over the changing room door. Using his magic, he ceases her attempts and glues her feet to the floor.

Her whining from the other side of the door brings a rather triumphant smirk to his face.

As he goes to slide on a pair of denim jeans, he notices a pair of twinkling, emerald-green eyes staring up at him gleefully from underneath the changing room door. Her long honey-brown hair cascades onto the floor and spills into his little room. Although he cannot see it, he knows for sure that she is grinning ear to ear as she contorts her body to peer up at him from the ten inch gap between the door and the floor.

She knows when she's been caught.

"Hey..." Twiddling her fingers, she waves hello to him from her awkward position beneath his dressing room door.

"KITRINA!" Klarion shouts in his high-pitched but booming voice.

Throwing open the door sends her flying backwards into the wall, knocking over a small rack of discarded clothing as she tumbles back.

Several other dressing room occupants peer out from behind their doors to catch the commotion.

"No need to shout!" Kitrina huffs as she picks herself up and dusts herself off. Waving her arms, she shoos the looky-loos back into their respective rooms before turning her attention back towards her fuming friend. "You're taking too long. I just wanna see! Let me help!"

There's no time to protest as she barges her way inside his changing room, closing the door behind her.

All at once, she begins pulling and tugging at his clothes. Ripping off the hoodie and throwing on a new one. Stripping off shirt after shirt and tossing them across the room. Tee shirts. Polos. Button ups. Turtle necks. Short sleeved. Long sleeved. No sleeved. Each one leaves her more dissatisfied than the last.

"No. No. No. No... NO!"

Standing half-naked in the middle of his tiny changing room, Klarion struggles to conceal his modesty, wrapping his arms around his bare and rather boyish chest.

She pulls yet another shirt over his head, then takes a step back to observe.

He should probably be getting more pleasure out of this than he actually is. There's a young woman standing before him. Her hands all over his body. Giving him her undivided attention. Dressing and undressing him. Over and over again.

The tips of her fingers graze the soft skin to his lower abdomen, just beneath the hem to the thin shirt he's currently wearing as she undresses him yet again.

He gulps.

Truth is, he feels like a piece of meat and she, the hungry lioness, as she eyes him over, her hand on her chin as she deliberates. Nervously, he begins to count the ceiling tiles. He feels his entire body start to warm over.

"I GOT IT!" Kitrina shouts with excitement, making Klarion nearly leap out of his skin. "Wait here! I'll be RIGHT back!"

Like he has any choice.

Images of what she has planned for him dance in his head, filling him with dread.

Within a couple minutes, she's back with a large, black garment bag draped over her arm. She smiles wide like the Cheshire she is, then hands him the bag. Closing the door, with her on the other side, she allows him his privacy at last.

His brow furrows as he stares at the mysterious black bag before him. What has she brought for him? What could possibly be inside? With a cautious hand, he slowly unzips the bag and begins to change once more.

Once fully dressed, he opens the door to find Kitrina waiting for him, leaning against the wall with her arms folded and a chewed up lollipop stick lazily hanging out of the side of her mouth. Just one look at him and she begins to grin.

"So... What do you think?" He asks eagerly.

Turning back towards the fitting room, Klarion admires his new suit in the mirror.

His reflection, now sporting a slim fitted black suit with a white button up dress shirt and a skinny black tie, stares back at him as he awaits her response.

"Verrry sharp, Blue." Kitrina purrs as she sidles up beside Klarion and drapes her arms around him. She rests her head on his shoulder.

Together, they stare into each other's reflections.

"You really think so?" Klarion replies with excitement, turning his head to face Kitrina straight on.

"I'd say slim... and a little bit foxy." The cat girl purrs flirtatiously in his ear as she reaches around to loosen his tie. "And besides... No woman can resist a man in a suit!"

* * *

_**"Slim and a little bit foxy"  
Double brownie points for anyone who can tell me where this quote comes from!**_

_**No more Limbo Town attire. Klarion's now sporting a spiffy new suit, similar to the one in YJ. Don't worry though. He'll bring the old gear out of retirement for a couple chapters later on!**_

_**YAY! Thank you for the new reviews! Here you go Viviana, new chapter up!**_  
_**And to my other guest reviewer, you can totally expect some kissing/lemons to come! And soon!**_  
_**XOXO**_


	18. Chapter 17

**SUPERHERO GIRL**

It's nearly midnight. Both Kitrina and Klarion had hopped on the bus and taken it clear across town towards the outskirts of Gotham. The houses here are cookie cutter and quaint, a throwback to suburbia at the height of the Cold War. What better place to throw a party than far from the Batman's reach.

They could hear the music from well down the block and stepping through the front door, it's hard to hear anything other. The thumping sound is overwhelming, but glancing over at Kitrina, she doesn't seem to mind.

Not two steps through the door, it doesn't take long before a little black cat catches Teekl's fancy. Hopping down from his master's shoulders, the orange tabby disappears from sight all in pursuit of his hot little feline fatale.

Worried about his cat's disappearing act, Klarion anxiously scans the sea of people.

"Don't worry, Blue. He ain't going no where." Kitrina reassures, leaning in close so that he can hear her over the blare of the music. "Now, come on. Let's have some fun."

Grabbing hold of his hand, Kitrina leads them through the crowd. His head turns this way and that, not paying any mind to where Kitrina is taking him. Instead, his eyes scan every partygoer. Every face. And every indecent act.

There's so much stimulation. So much happening at once. The modest sized house is packed to the gills with people, drinking and laughing and having a good time.

To his left, a group of adolescents gather around a hookah. Their auras seem hazy and strange as they exhale funny smelling smoke.

To his right, a decent sized crowd has gathered to watch as two worthy competitors pick up their joysticks and begin battle on the big screen.

So much merriment. Such excess and sin.

"OH! This way. There's someone I want you to meet!" Kitrina shouts.

Klarion can't help but follow as she drags him along behind her, every now and then stopping to wave or say hi.

Quickly, the pair make their way into the kitchen where the music is so much less deafening. Kitrina takes a look around, but she doesn't seem to see her friend. She pulls out her phone to quickly check for messages before returning it to her pants pocket.

A small group of males hang around an over-sized beer keg. Elbowing one another, they whisper and grin, all the while giving Kitrina a once over with their eyes. One such male waves an arm and shouts, trying to garner the cat girl's attention.

Kitrina releases the witch boy's hand and wanders over, though Klarion still follows closely behind. The young man pumps down on the keg, pouring Kitrina a drink, to which she happily accepts.

"Hey there, beautiful." The young man says with a bit of a slur. He takes another swig of his beer before getting up from his seat and taking a step towards Kitrina. "Come here often?"

Kitrina groans at his poor attempt at a pickup line.

"I'm just looking for someone." She replies.

"Well... Look no further."

Again... Cheesy. Kitrina rolls her eyes.

"Unless you got a pair of titts hiding under there, I highly doubt you're who I'm looking for." Kitrina replies, turning her back on the guy. "Thanks for the beer, though."

He doesn't like being turned down. His buddies start to snicker. Determined, he hands his cup over to one of his friends and takes another step forward.

Cutting between both Klarion and Kitrina, the young man pushes the witch boy aside and drapes an arm across Kitrina's shoulders, pulling her in tight. He removes the cup from Kitrina's hands and places it down on the counter nearby.

"Yo, baby, don't be like that." He hisses in her ear, making her squirm. "Why you hanging with this loser here, anyway? Y'see me and my friends, we be talking and you can do SO much better than that weirdo. So what'ya say we ditch the meta-freak and go find ourselves somewhere a little more... private, huh?"

Klarion's eyes see nothing but red. He can tolerate much, even let a rude comment slide from time to time, but this young punk has gone too far. Not only with the insolent name calling, but his utter disrespect for Kitrina as well.

Kitrina turns into the young man's embrace to face him straight on. Reaching up, she grabs hold of his popped-up collar. A flirty little smirk rests upon her pink glossed lips as she snuggles in close.

Eyes narrowed, Klarion watches, unsure where this is going. A part of him believes her act, for reasons unknown, making his heart ache. Though that glint in her eyes, that smirk on her face, he's seen it all before. He knows a cat when she's about to pounce. This guy is just a plump little rat. And she's going for the kill.

"Groin. Gut. Head." Kitrina breathes low and sultry in the young man's ear.

Quirking an eyebrow, the man leans back to look at her face to see if he's heard her correctly. He may be drunk, but he has no idea what she's talking about. Even Klarion hasn't a clue as to what she might be referring to.

"What?" He asks.

Kitrina giggles. Her fingers tighten around his collar.

"You asked me why I'm hanging with such a _loser_ here." She replies, this time speaking up clearly. "My answer is groin. Gut. Head." She pauses. "Precisely in that order."

Still unsure, the man turns his head back towards his friends to gather their much-needed insight. Though before he has a chance to ask, she firmly grabs his shirt collar and yanks him forward. Lifting up her knee, it connects with his groin.

Red in the face, his eyes bulge from his skull. His mouth hangs open in a silent scream.

But she's not done with him yet.

Letting go of his collar, Kitrina forms a fist and slams it into his gut, knocking the air right out of him. Knees buckling, his body lurches, bending forward at the waist. Grabbing hold of his hair, his head is now at just the right level for her to send her knee flying up into his jaw.

Out cold, the blow sends him reeling, flying backwards and knocking over the keg. Empty beer cans scatter and spill everywhere. His friends quickly get up from their seats, taking a step backwards and pressing themselves up against the kitchen cabinets.

Eyes on her fist, Kitrina crunches her knuckles.

"I can think of a couple more reasons if you like." She purrs darkly. "Care to listen?"

Stumbling over one another, his friends jet for the door, not wanting to pick a fight with the psycho girl in shiny black jeggings and heels. Along the way, one of the poor knocked out guy's friends is kind enough to lift him up by the armpits and drag him out with them.

With a sigh, Kitrina walks over to the keg and flips it back over before pouring Klarion and herself a drink. Handing him the frothy beverage, she acts as if nothing's wrong. As if nothing has happened. Just another completely normal night for the cat girl.

Silent, he watches her as she takes a sip.

"You need not fight my battles." Klarion says softly to his friend.

Her eyes remain glued to the wall in front of them.

"No one hurts my friends." Is all she replies before dropping the subject completely.

She slams back the remainder of her beer.

Klarion eyes his drink. He knows better than to say anything. From his peripheral, he can see the other occupants of the room shrink back and whisper amongst themselves. She hardly notices, or at least pretends not to. Slowly, the room returns to the bustle it once shared before the commotion. All returns to normal.

He sniffs the frothy amber beverage in his hand cautiously before taking a sip. His nose scrunches and lips pull back into a sneer.

"Ugh..." He groans, sticking out his tongue. "This elixir has gone bad."

Kitrina giggles, back to her usual self.

"It's beer."

Klarion tilts his head. Still unimpressed by its unusual taste.

"It's bitter." He whines.

"It's _supposed_ to be bitter."

His tongue scrapes against the roof of his mouth, trying to rid his palate of its horrid taste. He hands her his cup, to which she accepts and takes a sip.

"More for me." She says with a pleased grin before drinking from his cup.

Their moment doesn't last long. Klarion's pointed ears prick up to the sound of footsteps from directly behind.

"I should have known you were here by the sound of bodies hitting the floor." A sing-song voice muses from behind.

Both Klarion and Kitrina turn to find a perky little redhead standing just at arm's length. She's dressed in a slim-fitted violet leather jacket and dark green skinny jeans. She cocks her pig-tailed head and smiles broadly, a bit devilishly, in fact.

"Hey there Kitty Cat."

Kitrina's demeanor lightens. A smile warms her face. Opening her arms wide, she takes the girl into a hug. Klarion stands off to the side, taking in the two. Judging by the way they act, they've obviously been friends for years.

"Klarion, this is my friend-"

"Enigma." The girl says, finishing Kitrina's sentence.

She breaks from their hug to reach out and shake Klarion's hand.

"And you must be Klarion." Enigma continues with a smirk. "I've heard ALL about you."

Sidling up beside Kitrina, Enigma playfully whispers in her ear. The girl's shining green eyes never leave Klarion's figure.

"He's cute." Her eyes scan lower, head tilting ever so slightly. "Nice ass."

Kitrina elbows the enigmatic girl in the side, making her laugh. The witch boy anxiously rubs the back of his neck. His skin warms and blushes over.

"What's black and blue and RED all over!?" Enigma teases, touching a hand to his chest. Kitrina slaps her hand away.

"Don't mind my friend." Kitrina apologizes to Klarion. "Her and I, we go WAY back. We used to run in the same pack."

"Oh, I wouldn't say the SAME pack..." Enigma chimes in.

Klarion turns his attention towards the pig-tailed girl in green.

"So you're a hero as well?" He asks.

Enigma's grin broadens. She's absolutely loving this.

"I wouldn't say HERO, per say. No like Kitty Cat, here. If you can even CALL her a hero, as well..." She extends. "More like villain. Well... I WAS a villain. Past tense. As in no longer. I'm retired."

Folding her arms across her chest, Kitrina tilts her hip playfully, eyes on Enigma.

"She once shot me in the hand." She teases.

"I DID NOT!" Enigma protests.

"Did TOO!" Kitrina returns. "And then I remember you telling your dad's henchmen to... oh what was it exactly? VENTILATE me?"

Enigma laughs, a bit maniacally. She clutches her side.

"Oh YEAH!" She replies, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes. "I did, didn't I!"

Klarion cocks an eyebrow.

"Dad?" He asks, trying to catch on to their conversation.

"Well, yeah... Enigma here is the SO CALLED daughter of the Riddler. " Kitrina replies. "Y'know the guy. Green suit. Bowler hat. Question mark cane-"

"Total prick." Enigma cuts in. "Wanted to make sure you didn't forget THAT one."

Kitrina excitedly grabs hold of Klarion's arm, cuddling in close and playing extra nice to indicate she wants something from him.

"OH HEY! You're magic!" She says with excitement in her tone. "Do that thing like you did to me. Read her aura! Tell me if she's REALLY the Riddler's daughter like she says!"

With a shrug, Klarion sighs. Eyes glowing red, he tilts his head and looks the girl over. Though her aura is just as big a mystery as her enigmatic namesake.

"I cannot tell her lineage without the father being here. Without him, there's absolutely nothing for me to compare her blood relations to." Klarion replies, his eyes returning to their normal hue. "Though I can tell you this... She does tell the truth when she says unto you that she is the Riddler's daughter. Although that does NOT make it correct. She at least BELIEVES it to be true. Her aura does not show signs of deception."

Still clutching Klarion's arm, Kitrina's shoulders slump.

"So all that mumbo jumbo means is that she ain't lying. It doesn't mean she ACTUALLY is who she claims to be." She pouts. "I'm back to square one."

Arms crossed, Enigma stands triumphantly. A smug grin stretches across her face.

"I _WAS_ the Riddler's daughter." She says proudly. "But now I _AM_ not... What's so difficult to understand?"

"Can't you at least tell me her real name?" Kitrina groans to Klarion.

Again he shrugs.

"She believes it to be Enigma. Her aura shows nothing other." He replies simply. "Of course, I could always pry further if you so desire. Delve inside her head and force her secrets to the surface. Make her divulge whatever you wish. Would you like for me to do that?"

Enigma's eyes grow wide. Her face pales. Kitrina, on the other hand, grows eager. Her fingers dig into Klarion's arm excitedly.

"DO IT!" She squeals.

"NO!" Enigma shouts.

Rolling her eyes, Kitrina pouts.

"Fine..." She groans. "Don't. Whatever."

Eyes still wide, Enigma turns her attention back towards Klarion. She actually seems a bit shaken. Perhaps frightened at his power and abilities. How easy he made it seem to render her defenseless. Like it was no big deal for him to do so.

"Can he really do that?" She asks.

Kitrina grins and cozies in closer to her blue-skinned friend.

"It's good to have a witch boy in your corner." She purrs.

* * *

_**This chapter was getting WAY too long so I cut it into two halves. Stay tuned to GOOD stuff ahead!  
xoxo**_


	19. Chapter 18

**WICKED GAME**

"I'm so glad you two are here!" Enigma cheers, just a little too eagerly than the cat girl feels comfortable with. "Now we can begin the fun!"

"Fun?" Kitrina questions skeptically.

Enigma only grins.

Grabbing Kitrina's hand, Enigma drags the cat girl towards the living room where a large group of teens have already gathered. Klarion follows suit, unsure where this is going, but intrigued none the less. The trio make their way into the center where a smaller group of co-eds have formed a circle, sitting around an empty bottle lying on the floor. Klarion tilts his head, unsure what to make of the strange act.

"A summoning spell?" He asks, looking to Kitrina for answers.

Enigma's grin only widens.

"Oh HELL NO!" Kitrina yells at her friend, tugging her arm away. "I am NOT-"

"Oh YES you are, Kitty Cat!" Enigma yells back, taking hold of her arm once more and forcefully pushing the girl to take a seat on the ground. "It's about time you get back in the saddle. Have a little fun!"

Kitrina glares up at her friend with eyes of disdain. She looks like she's going to tear the perky little red-head's throat out. Enigma smiles and sways. She just loves it when Kitrina looks at her that way.

"You too, handsome." Enigma purrs, motioning for Klarion to take a seat.

Doing as he's told, Klarion sits on the floor, though he's still not quite sure what exactly's going on. He leans over to his brooding friend beside him to whisper in her ear.

"What's this about?" He asks.

"It's a trap." Kitrina groans beneath her breath, eyes locked on the closet nearby.

Klarion's eyes follow hers, noticing the group of giggling girls, one with a stopwatch.

"What's are they doing?" He asks further.

Enigma takes a seat between the pair, pulling her knees up to her chest excitedly.

"You've never played seven minutes in heaven before?"

Klarion shrugs.

"Well..." She leans in close, smirking, to whisper in Klarion's ear.

His eyes grow wide.

"So it's basically a kissing game." Klarion replies, pulling back.

"Or whatever..." Enigma returns.

All heads turn towards the closet as someone shouts that time is up. The door opens and a pair emerges. Red-faced, the male hurriedly tucks his shirt into his undone pants as the female sticks her nose in the air and struts away.

"Who's next?" Someone shouts.

Before anyone has a chance to spin the bottle or react, Enigma grabs hold of both Kitrina and Klarion's arms and raises them eagerly in the air, high above their heads.

Face meets palm as Kitrina hangs her head and groans.

"Told ya it was a trap." She sighs to one friend, then turns her attention towards the other. "Remind me to drop you from a building sometime."

Enigma rolls her eyes.

"Oh please. How cliché." The redhead grins. "Now go have some fun!"

What choice do they have?

Enigma swats Kitrina's backside as the already tempered cat girl gets up from her seat. A pale-faced witch boy follows close behind.

Both Kitrina and Klarion cram into the small hallway closet. While standing room only, it seems to fit two just fine without all too much squeezing.

Though she's not pressed up against him, she is rather close. Perhaps a little too close. Klarion's not exactly sure how he's supposed to stand. Towards her? Away? He shifts uncomfortably and her breasts graze against his chest. It only makes him feel all the more uncomfortable.

"Is it hot in here?" He asks, tugging at his tie.

Kitrina scrunches up her nose in disgust.

"It smells like mothballs." She replies.

Arms pressed firmly to his side, Klarion begins to tap his hands anxiously against his pant legs. Kitrina's eyes wander, examining the random coats hung and pushed to the side.

He wonders why she always smells of strawberries. Perhaps the soap she uses or maybe her shampoo. Then again, it could very well be her natural aroma. It's really quite inviting.

He admires her silhouette. The way her outfit clings to her petite yet very womanly frame. She really looks quite lovely tonight. Perhaps he should tell her. Or would that be too strange? Are friends supposed to say such things to one another?

Once again Klarion finds himself uncomfortable. He instead opts to cross his arms across his chest. A defensive stance, his arms acting as a barrier between him and the young woman beside him.

"So what do we do now?" He asks quietly, growing bored.

Kitrina shrugs.

"We could just wait for the seven minutes to run out. It's up to you." She whispers. "I mean... I'm kinda buzzed. We could kiss or fool around or whatever... If you want. I mean... I really don't care."

"Nor do I." Klarion replies quickly. Nervously. "I mean I... I really don't care either..."

Silence falls upon them. Klarion instinctively stares down at his shoes even though there's absolutely nothing interesting about them.

"It's not like we have anything to prove." Kitrina groans. "We don't have to do anything we don't want just to please them."

"You don't want to?"

"I didn't say that!"

"Then you do..."

"I didn't say that either!"

Klarion sighs. This is confusing.

"What did your friend mean by you getting back in the saddle?"

Kitrina crosses her arms and rolls her eyes, leaning against the wall to the closet.

"I split up with my ex-boyfriend like MONTHS ago. And aside from that date from hell you happened to ruin, I haven't exactly been getting out there and meeting new guys." She sighs. "I know she has my best intentions in mind, but still... E can be kinda a pushy jerk sometimes."

Through the darkness of the closet, she looks straight ahead at Klarion.

"What about you?" She asks, trying to create small talk. "I mean, when was the last time you went on a date?"

Klarion's eyes wander back towards the floor.

"Fucked?" Kitrina asks.

Klarion's eyes remain on the floor, unsure what to say. Uncrossing his arms, he begins rubbing the back of his neck anxiously.

"Kissed?" Kitrina asks more softly this time. The puzzle pieces are slowly starting to fit into place.

"Oh! I did once kiss a girl." Klarion replies, snapping to attention. His eyes widen and turn eager, if only for a moment. "Although, it was a horrible experience, really… She tricked me into doing it and she… well… it was just awful."

Again his eyes find the floor.

"There's something wrong with me, isn't there?" Klarion asks with dark eyes. "I'm just… weird. Is that what you're thinking?"

Kitrina uncrosses her arms. Her features soften.

"Is this about what happened earlier?" Kitrina asks. "Look... Don't listen to those guys-"

"But they're right." Klarion replies. "I'm weird. I don't FIT in. I'm all wrong for this world and everything in it. Everything is just so different and I'm just... strange. The way I look. The way I act. Everything..."

Kitrina refuses to listen to him talk this way. She shakes her head.

"No. You're not strange at all. So you're a late bloomer. So what? There's nothing wrong with that." Kitrina says softly. "And you look FINE. I LIKE the way you look. There's nothing WRONG with different. It doesn't make you STRANGE. It just makes you... BETTER than everyone else. Hell... I'M different! And I wouldn't want it any other way. Cuz the NORMAL ones... the mindless and mundane? To me, THEY'RE the strange ones. They're just so... BORING!"

His eyes glance sideways to meet hers. She lifts her hand to rest it on his cheek. He's a bit taken aback by her touch, though he finds the feeling nice.

"Don't ever be ashamed to be who you are." She purrs, her hand warm against his skin. "Or I'll have'ta hurt you. And I really don't wanna have to mess up that handsome blue mug of yours again, 'kay?"

Her teasing words make him smile. Must she always be so violent? He can't help but chuckle softly.

Retracting her hand, Kitrina leans back against the closet wall.

"So... You're a virgin."

Klarion follows suit, leaning against the opposite side. Feet parallel with hers, their knees touch. He shoves his hands deep inside his pants pockets.

"Is something wrong with that?" He asks quietly.

"Hey... What did I JUST tell you? You're not gonna make me hurt you already, are ya?" She replies with a smirk. "There's nothing wrong with that, Blue.

"But you're not. A... A virgin, I mean."

With dangerous eyes, she shoots him a dagger-filled look. Hands in surrender, he explains.

"Your aura." He says quietly in defense. "I haven't pried. I swear."

She raises a curious brow.

Just how much does he know about her? She's never had a friend who can read auras before and is not quite sure she likes it. How easy it is for him to read her like a book. Though he never reads between the lines, he tends to miss out on the details. He has so much more to learn about her, but does she care to teach him? Does she let him in? Just how close does she allow him to get?

Easing back into her respective corner of the closet, Kitrina shrugs.

"I have a bad habit of falling for the wrong kinda guy." She says simply. "Whatever. It's not like I'm girlfriend material or anything anyway. I'm not gonna get married or have babies or settle down... I'm all about the here and now. Live in the moment and have fun while it lasts, y'know?"

His mind is occupied elsewhere, engulfed in their conversation. He doesn't even realize that he's been playing footsie with her for a while now. His black leather shoes shuffle against hers, slow and softly, barely noticeable.

"What's it like?"

"What? Sex?" Kitrina asks. She shrugs. "Fun. REALLY fun..." The smirk wanes from her lips. "But then when it's over, you're left unsatisfied and empty inside. I dunno... Maybe it's different for everyone."

It's the first time he's ever really talked to her one on one before without having to worry about any interruptions. No Teekl playing around inside his head, instigating and causing problems. Just him and her. Kitrina. Alone. Completely alone. In the dark.

Growing up deep underground, he feels completely at one in the darkness. In his element. His black eyes adjust to the dim lighting of the closet, allowing him to see Kitrina in a brand new light, both literally and figuratively. He can see her so perfectly. Her eyes staring back at him, so wide and bright. Her aura fills the small closet with her light. It's such a radiant aura. So full of life.

"The emptiness... It's because you have yet to secure your one true mate. You'll find the right man. Someone to treat you the way in which you deserve." Klarion replies, not only shocking Kitrina but perhaps himself just a little as well. "You have a tender heart. Deep down, I know you're a good person. You shouldn't sell yourself short and dedicate yourself to the wrong sort of fellow."

Though it's too dark to tell, he can sense by the shift in her aura that she's blushing. She runs her fingers through her hair, trying to hide her small smile.

"Kitrina, I'm... sorry... for the way I treated you when I first came to stay." Klarion continues. "It wasn't right of me to say such hurtful words. To which I deeply apologise. In all actuality, I do very much enjoy living with you and appreciate all the guidance you've given me in helping to understand your culture."

"I really enjoy living with you too, Blue. You're a cool guy and totally loads of fun to hang with." Kitrina replies. "And for what it's worth, I'm sorry for the way I treated you too. I said some pretty nasty things..." Her face become playful and mischievous. She grins. "And I was wrong. Maybe, just MAYBE I'd sleep with ya... _IF_ you were the last guy on Earth."

Klarion can't help but chuckle.

"Well THAT'S a relief!" He laughs. "Although we still wouldn't be able to rebuild the human race. Or Croatoan for that matter. Still, I could only imagine what... _odd_ looking offspring we would create."

"You wanna talk about strange? Now THAT would be strange!" Kitrina laughs alongside him. "I really don't wanna think about it! Sorry, Blue. But we'd make UGLY babies!"

Pushing away from the wall, Klarion leans his body closer to Kitrina. His chest grazes hers. Taking her chin in his hand, he lifts her face upwards to study her features. Her lips part ever so slightly, completely at his mercy as he gazes deeply into her eyes.

"Oh, I don't know... My dark complexion with your fair eyes and hair..."

Something about the closeness of his body against hers. The way he looks at her. His voice in the darkness... It makes her feel something she's never felt before. It makes her feel warm. It makes her knees shake.

While nice, she's not quite sure if she exactly likes this feeling. So vulnerable in his grasp. Not the one in control.

She _needs_ to take control.

"Has anyone ever told you you look like Barnibus Collins?" She asks.

Tilting his head, he moves his hand away from her face.

"And who might that be?"

Lifting herself up on her toes, she reaches up to place her hands on top of his head, flattening his devilish cowlicks.

"Y'know... The vampire from that old TV show." She replies.

He hardly seems amused.

"You insult me by likening me to a lowly vampire?"

She giggles. Removing her hands from his head, his hair instantly springs back into place.

"You talk funny." She teases.

Black lips pulled tight, Klarion sneers. A growl escapes his lips.

"I thought we were past the insults and name callin-"

Lunging forward, Kitrina catches Klarion off guard as she reaches up and presses her lips to his. His eyes widen. His breath hitches in his throat.

Her lips are soft. So much softer than he could ever even think her to possess. She pulls back slightly, her lips now ghosting his. So sweet and tender. She breathes against his skin.

He stares at her closed eyelids, how they flutter open as she pulls away. His brain hardly has time to process what has just occurred. It happened so fast. He can hardly react.

His heart races. She takes a step back and he finds himself leaning towards her. Like a lost puppy, he follows her lips.

As if awakening from a dream, he blinks his eyes and shakes his head. His mouth hangs slightly open. His mind completely blank.

"Wha..." He stammers, completely dumbstruck. "What was that for?"

Behind thick, black eyelashes, she stares at him mysteriously. A secretive smile crosses her delicate lips. He can feel a deep crimson set into his cheeks as he waits for her reply.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" She asks.

He opens his mouth but all words die in the back of his throat. He can't think of a single thing to say.

The closet door abruptly swings open and Klarion shields his eyes from the harsh light. For the life of him, he had completely lost track of the time. He had completely forgotten about the game.

He steps out into the co-ed filled room, though he walks amongst them completely in a daze. As if lost in a dream.

He can hear Enigma talking somewhere near and the music thumping all around, though words and sound have no meaning to him right now. All is a fog.

Touching his fingers to his lips, he's still in disbelief. It wasn't at all what he'd expected. In fact it wasn't half bad. Much better than his first kiss. Pleasant. Better than pleasant. Fantastic.

He licks his lips, recalling her sweet lip gloss.

She tastes like...

Like...

"Wow." He whispers.

Kitrina quickly grabs his hand, waking him from his dream state. He spins around to meet her face to face. Someone off in the distance shouts "COPS!" and the room erupts in a frenzy. His hand in hers, together they run for the nearest door and out into the night.


	20. Chapter 19

_**HOORAY! Out of all my fanfics, this story has gathered the most followers and also the most REVIEWS! And I totally couldn't have done it without you guys! I'm totally feeling the love! So here you go, lets pass the love around! Here's a little... ehem... TREAT! This one's gonna be just a tad bit lemony! Not TOO bad, though! :D  
And don't forget to keep those reviews coming! I love the ideas you guys come up with for these two!  
****xoxo**_

* * *

**IDLE HANDS**

With his nose in a spell book, Klarion lies on his back on top of the covers to his bed and kicks off his shoes.

He had acquired said spell book at a little hole in the wall potion shop just down the road and had had such high hopes, however now as he flips through the pages, he finds himself more and more disappointed. What humans consider to be magic is nothing more than trivial chanting and hoodoo prayer. It's embarrassing, really. Hardly worth his time and so very far beneath him. Many spells he had already mastered by the time he reached the age of four. The others are just plain rubbish.

He flips another page and sighs.

With a large yawn, Teekl stretches out across the bed before hopping down onto the floor and casually exiting the room.

Klarion's elfish ears prick up to the subtle sound of a window sliding open and shut. Kitrina must have returned home from running along rooftops or whatever it is she chose to put on her costume for and do tonight.

She had tried to get him to come along with her. After the cops broke up the party and they had fled from sight, she had a sudden rush of energy that, as she put it, she just had to get out of her system. He, on the other hand, just wanted to return home and curl up with a good book. This particular tome, however, is anything but. While his mind keeps finding its way back to dwell upon a certain kiss, the book laid out before him does little to keep him entertained and his mind free from wandering.

Bored, Klarion yawns and stretches out his tired muscles before returning to his book.

"No." The witch boy groans, sitting up in bed. "What good is teaching magic when half these spells are just plain wrong?"

Rummaging around inside the knapsack beside his bed, he searches for a pen to fix the incorrect incantation. His hand, however, falls upon something entirely different. He places down the book.

Slowly, he lifts a crystal ball up and out of the sack. The very same ball he had bought off that gypsy woman, Xanadu, just a couple weeks before. He had forgotten all about it, letting it become more of a paper weight really than anything else. He hadn't had a chance to test out his new toy. Holding it in one hand, he reclines on his bed and begins to gaze.

In an act of boredom, he attempts to divine the future, but it is far too hazy to see. Instead, he chooses to view the present, allowing the ball to take him wherever it so sees fit. Whatever might suit his fancy.

In swirls of fog and mist, the ball obeys and brings forth an image. A scene takes shape.

He looks in on his mother in Limbo Town, safe and sleeping in her bed. A hint of homesickness hits him, pulling tightly at his chest. Perhaps he should check in on home and visit with her more often. And though he dreads to think it, perhaps his sister as well. Heaven only knows what that wicked woman is up to these days...

The ball rapidly changes direction and he watches as the Batman fights crime. An uppercut to the jaw and his opponent slams against the wall. Seeing him in action, Klarion can't help but think just how much Kitrina tends to act like HIM at times.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Klarion yawns again loudly. Tears of exhaustion blur his eyes. The ball begins to fog over and change once more.

Combing his bangs back and out of his face, Klarion opens his eyes to find wherever it is his crystal ball has taken him this time only to find the scenery oddly familiar. VERY familiar, in fact.

White subway tiled walls and purple curtains. Fluffy cotton towels and that ruffled bath mat with the little cat paws on it. It's the bathroom directly on the other side of this very apartment. But why would the ball bring him here? What in the world could be so interesting about this particular room?

Bringing the ball closer to his face, he squints his eyes, trying to discern what exactly the ball is attempting to show him.

It doesn't take long before the shower curtain opens and Kitrina walks out, glistening and dripping wet head to toe. Naked as the day she was born.

Klarion quirks a slender brow. His entire body warms though all color drains from his face. The muscles loosen in his face. Slack-jawed, his lips part ever so slightly as his eyes scan her over.

Her body is that of perfection, not that he hasn't noticed before. The way she prances around the apartment in those tight little outfits or whenever she exercises for all to see in the living room, how could he NOT notice? This time, though, is different. With wide eyes, he mentally takes note of every detail. From the swell of her hips to the freckle just above her navel, his mind struggles to absorb the entirety of her feminine charm.

Suddenly he feels strange. He knows that he should look away, but for the life of him can't bring himself to do so. He realizes he has yet to blink. Eyes wide, he continues ogling her sensual form.

Devious thoughts begin to swirl. So naughty and intimate in nature. Watching her gives him a voyeuristic-filled pleasure much like he gets when viewing the pornography he tends to like to watch on the internet. However, this is so much different. It stirs his blood. Exciting him in a way like no other. His eyes dart towards his bedroom door, opened just a crack from where Teekl had left. He removes his belt and unfastens his pants. Slowly, his hand slides down his slacks.

Watching her, he can't help but think of her lips against his. Her breath on his skin. Her taste on his tongue. Her hands in his hair. Her body pressed against his... The way she felt. The way she tasted.

He can still smell her scent on his shirt collar. Can still recall that kiss in the dark corners of his mind.

Leaning over the bathroom counter, she stares herself in the mirror as she brushes out her damp hair. Her ample breasts jiggle ever so with every pass.

Still, he watches with hungry eyes.

A droplet of water runs down her back, leading a trail towards her firm rear.

Grasping himself firmly, his swollen need begs him for release.

Bending forward, she applies lotion to her slender legs, working up and down in fluid motions along her toned and supple thighs.

His eyes roll into the back of his head.

"_Brother, Klarion?"_

His eyes shoot open. Wide and terrified.

Nearly jumping out of his skin, Klarion sits up abruptly in bed and shoves his dirty little crystal ball back inside the knapsack.

Head cocked ever so slightly to the side, Teekl stares at his master curiously from the doorway.

"_What were you doing, Brother Klarion?"_

"M-Me? Ohhh… Nothing really. Umm… Just reading." The witch boy replies hurriedly, red in the face.

Klarion can see Teekl grinning from inside his head. Lazily, the wily cat stalks towards the bed and hops back on it.

"_I think you were watching miss Kitty_." Teekl says slyly, licking his paw. _"You LIKE her don't you? Will you be coupling with her? Did something happen tonight while I was not in attendance? What was it? You can tell me. __Would you like for me to go have her rub my belly again? Perhaps this time you'd allow yourself to enjoy it."_  


Klarion throws the covers over his head and hastily prepares for bed.

"Goodnight." Klarion growls from somewhere within the sheets.

Teekl hops on top of his covered form and snickers.

"_Oh, come now. I am only joking."_ Teekl says as he stares down at the comforter concealing his master. _"But in all seriousness… If you want, I can go crawl into bed with her. Maybe lick her toes-"_

_"NOT ANOTHER WORD!"_ Klarion grimly warns inside his head.

Teekl pokes his head inside the covers, his whiskers tickling Klarion's earlobe.

_"You want to make itty bitty pink little babies with her, don't you?" _Teekl teases further._ "Do you lov-"_

_"NO!" The witch boy shouts, cutting Teekl off. "No no no no... NO!"_

Klarion explodes from beneath his covers, throwing them wildly up into the air. With nothing more than a mere thought, the witch boy shrinks Teekl down to the size of a thimble and locks him away deep inside his bedside table drawer.

"_Behave and I'll let you out in the morning."_ Klarion hisses telepathically to his instigating and aggravating cat. _"Now, GOODNIGHT!"_ _  
_

With a growl, he grabs hold of his tangled sheets and sinks back into bed.


	21. Chapter 20

**SEASON OF THE WITCH**

The sun is blinding and brutally hot. The air smells of salt and the burning flesh of hundreds of human bodies roasting under the noonday sun. The putrid odor disgusts him. Why someone would intentionally choose to venture here is beyond him. This place that Katrina so hopelessly refered to as the "beach" is more like a barren wasteland surrounded by a great big moat. Not at all like the beautiful oasis she had made it out to be. Klarion can't help but sneer in disgust as he follows in her footsteps through the sand.

"Kitty... It's hot..." Klarion whines as they snake their way along the beach, staking out a spot.

"So conjure up some ice or something."

"Ughh... I do not care for this. Why can't we just go back home?"

Arms full and patience short, Kitrina sighs.

"It's called a heat wave, Blue. That's what happens during a heat wave. It gets hot. And when it gets hot, people like to swarm to the beach to cool off." She replies. "Just gotta love the messed up weather here in Gotham. Probably has something to do with some weather villain or something... And besides... My AC is shot. So would you rather roast outside or inside? Your choice. Now quit complaining and help me with this."

Kitrina finally stops and drops their gear on the hot sand, claiming their little square of territory on the beach. Handing Klarion a blanket, they each take a corner and lay it down on the ground. Teekl impatiently stands by and watches as they begin to set up camp.

Within moments, a large umbrella goes up, creating a nice bit of shade. The orange tabby hurriedly scurries underneath and shakes off the sand from his fur.

With a huff, Klarion plops down on the big blanket and begins scanning the beach full of scantily clad lifeforms. The shameless display of nearly naked flesh is both grotesque and overwhelming. How anyone would degrade themselves to such low standards...

Shaking his head, he watches as the males strut around at the water's edge, chests puffed out like proud peacocks trying to attract a mate. Showing off their plumage for all to see.

The rest of the males tackle one another and wrestle around in the sand, acting out their Neanderthal games of strength. Trying to root out an alpha.

As for the women, they're just as bad, if not worse. The tiny outfits they wear leave absolutely nothing to the imagination. It's shameful. Harlots and charlatans, the lot of them.

Klarion stares down at the 'board shorts' Kitrina had insisted he wear. Jet black and resting just above his knees. They remind him of the short pants he would wear as a child, though a bit scratchy and much more loose-fitting. The material feels strange against his skin.

He looks at his twig-like legs and grimaces. It's far more skin than he is accustomed to showing.

Anxiously, he buries his bare feet. Not even fifteen minutes here and already he feels uncomfortable. Twiddling his blue toes in the sand, he watches as the little grains shift and move.

"Alright, Blue... Take off your shirt." Kitrina says bluntly as she plops down on the blanket beside him.

"W-What? Why?" Klarion stammers, eyes wide.

The cat girl holds up a bright red bottle containing an unknown substance. Placing a small dollop of the white cream on her finger, she smears it across the tip of his nose and giggles.

"It's sunscreen. Don't wanna get _burned_, do ya?." Kitrina replies as she begins to rub the lotion on her face and neck. "Come on. Don't be such a prude. It's not like it's nothing I haven't seen before."

Uneasily, Klarion stares down at his white button-up shirt and grimaces. However modest he may be, the thought of his flesh burning sends shivers down his spine. Suddenly, an image of him being strapped to a burning pyre flashes across his mind. It's just enough to make him pull his shirt up and over his head.

"Woah..." Kitrina gapes.

"What? What's wrong?" Klarion asks worriedly, looking himself over.

"Nothing. Nothing. Don't really know what I was expecting. It's just... Wow. You really ARE blue all over, aren't ya? Just look at your black nipples!" Kitrina squeals in delight as she pinches his skin. Grabbing at the waistband to his shorts, she slyly pretends as if she's going to sneak a peek inside. "Just what ELSE of you is blue?"

Slapping her hands away, Klarion glares at her in anger and embarrassment. His cheeks grow hot and purplish-red.

"Oh sheesh... No need to be all self-conscious, Mister Grumpypants!"

Klarion huffs.

"I am NOT being self-conscious. I just... am not used to being touched... in such a manner."

"Well... Then you're REALLY gonna love this." Kitrina purrs. "Turn around."

Without any warning, Kitrina spins Klarion around and begins rubbing her hands all over his back.

Instantly, every muscle in his body tightens, making him rigid and board-stiff. His eyes bulge from his skull.

She slaps his back and tells him to loosen up, but it doesn't help. Every movement from her sweeping fingertips sends shivers down his spine as she methodically applies the lotion to his skin. His heart rate climbs. Suddenly, he feels funny. Soft, fuzzy, and warm inside. It's something he can't describe. Something he'd never felt before meeting her. And it seems to be happening more and more often, much to his ever growing annoyance and aggregation. These stirring feelings have become a nuisance. Fodder for Teekl's persistent teasing.

His eyes roll into the back of his skull as her hands find their way to his shoulders and up the back of his neck. Her nimble fingers graze his earlobes and his stomach ties up into knots. He feels like putty in her hands as she kneads at his tired muscles.

Just a few feet away, he can hear Teekl purring. Surely he is laughing at him, but he pays the cat no mind. A goofy grin stretches across his pale blue face as he finally begins to surrender his inhibitions to her wonderful magic fingers.

"You're done." Kitrina nearly shouts, snapping Klarion back into reality from his dreamlike daze. "My turn."

Trading positions with him, she scoots in close to his lap, taking a seat between his legs. Klarion gulps down hard.

She hands him the sunscreen bottle and promptly begins to remove her sundress. Again he feels uneasy as he watches her disrobe.

Nonchalantly, she tosses her dress underneath the umbrella, to which Teekl happily snuggles up to. Anxiously, Klarion clutches the bottle to his chest.

"C-Can't you do it?"

"Reach my own back?" Kitrina asks with a sly grin. "Come on, Klari... You're not afraid are you?"

"Of course not! How absurd."

"You've never touched a girl before, huh?" Kitrina teases as she glances over her shoulder to cast him a wicked look. "Is that it?"

"WHAT!? Of course I have. Hundreds of girls. Thousands of girls. I've..."

"Sure... Uh-huh. Stop talking and just do my back. Oh and make sure to rub it in good. If you do a crappy, half-assed job and I end up getting burnt... I'm going to punch you."

Klarion sits there for a moment, staring blankly at her bare back, unsure what to do. Kitrina pulls her hair back and holds it atop her head as she waits for Klarion to begin.

Images of her naked form replay against the backdrop of his mind. He can't help but think back to just the other night. That God-forsaken crystal ball... Looking at her dressed this way, sitting in his lap in her tiny pink bikini, he's reminded of all the naughty bits that lay hidden just beneath what little fabric she's currently wearing. Those perky breasts. So bouncy and bountiful. The exact shape and color to her delightful areolas...

A certain need begins to swell.

He screws his eyes shut.

_Think unsexy thoughts... Think unsexy thoughts... _

The mantra runs through his head.

He forces his mind to shift towards images of the Batman in a leotard. His sister. Sugarless gum. Christmas...

Hands shaking, Klarion nervously squirts a huge glob of sunscreen in the palm of his hand and begins rubbing it into her back. Teekl watches on curiously as the witch boy attempts to apply the sticky, white concoction to her skin.

"I gotta thank you again, Blue, for that magic lotion stuff you gave me." Kitrina says sweetly. "That stuff really worked. See? My bruise is all gone!"

He looks down at the spot where that horrible looking flesh wound had once been. His mind had been so occupied elsewhere that he hadn't even noticed it's now completely healed. She turns her head for a moment to meet her eyes with his and smiles.

"I knew there was a reason why I keep ya around."

Klarion smiles in return and she turns her head back around.

What a strange spell she's cast upon him. His usually lithe and nimble fingers have become clumsy and cumbersome. His brain appears to have to shut off completely, rendering his motor skills useless. A deep blush washes over his skin as his hands make their way down to the small of her back.

"Make sure you get underneath the ties."

Her skin seems to mesmerize him. Soft and pink and warm. Pressing his palms against her back, he notices the vast difference between their skin tones. Notices every little freckle. Every beauty mark as significant as the stars in the sky. Her skin's like a vast landscape full of wonderous delights. Curves and valleys, his hands conquer them all, mapping the uncharted territory in his mind. His fingers make new trails. Ever the explorer, how easy it is for him to become lost in her rose-colored world.

"Klari..."

"Huh?"

Kitrina giggles as she drops down her hair and spins around to face him.

"I think I'm good. You're done now."

"Oh... Oh right."

Grabbing the bottle from him, she squirts a good amount in her hands before returning it to the dazed witch boy. She gets up from her seat.

"Here. I think you can handle the rest from here on out. Don't forget to get your face and those cute little pointed ears of yours, 'kay?."

Klarion squeezes a glob of sunscreen into his hands and begins work on his legs, but no matter how hard he tries, he can't take his eyes off Kitrina. Up and down, back and forth, her hands vigorously rubs the lotion into her rosy skin. Across her tight stomach. Along her strong thighs. In between her large and voluptuous breasts. Dumbstruck, he ogles her. Klarion can hear Teekl speaking in his head, but can't quite make out what he is saying.

"I'm going to go down to the water now. You coming with?"

"W-Wha... Huh?

Kitrina giggles and messes his hair.

"I think you got enough sunscreen on your leg there, Blue."

Klarion looks down at his left leg covered in lotion. He had become so transfixed in watching her, that he didn't notice he hadn't moved on from there. Quickly, he begins work on the rest of his exposed skin as Kitrina laughs and walks away.

Klarion glares daggers at his familiar as Teekl sits and snickers in his head.

"What are you laughing about?" He hisses at his cat.

"_Nothing, brother Klarion. It is just that the expression on your face was absolutely... hilarious._" Teekl purrs in delight, licking his whiskers. "_You enjoyed that didn't you? Her hands on your body. Was it pleasant? Exhilarating? Did it make you want to do bad things to her? Naughty things? I bet you-_"

"SHUT IT, YOU STUPID CAT!" Klarion shouts, silencing Teekl's voice inside his head.

Throwing the sunscreen bottle to the ground in a huff, Klarion gets up from the blanket and makes his way towards the ocean.

He can't help but sneer. The nerve of his meddling cat. How dare he accuse him of harboring such disgraceful feelings for that talentless mortal girl. He is a great and powerful sorcerer. An explorer of worlds. To let his mind wander and indulge in such carnal and lewd acts would be belittling of his character. There are still so many things he wants to be and a boyfriend hardly makes the list.

Perhaps one day he shall choose to settle down and sow his seed, but when that day comes, his woman shall be nothing less than equal to him in power as well as the dark arts. Not some silly pink girl who masquerades as a cat. With a hard kick, he sends a seashell flying across the sand.

Sulking as he treks along the beach, his mood only begins to lift as Kitrina comes into view.

Standing waist deep in the blue waters, she stares out at the horizon where the ocean meets the sky. A gentle wave rolls in and crashes against her side, creating a spray of water glistening in the sunlight.

She looks so happy and peaceful, simply beautiful against the oceanic backdrop. Klarion smirks as a devious thought comes to mind.

Oh, how did she once put it...

She appears to have that faraway look that just BEGS to me MESSED with.

In the blink of an eye, Klarion disappears from his spot on the sand and re-appears nearly directly above Kitrina, hovering in the air. Tucking his legs into his stomach, he forms a cannon ball and drops into the water, creating a decent sized splash. Shrieking in surprise, Kitrina throws her hands up and ducks backwards to shield herself from the spray of water.

Klarion's maniacal laughter rings out as he pops his head back up and out of the water.

"You look like a drowned rat!" Klarion laughs, pointing a finger at the drenched Kitrina.

With a pout, she brushes the wet and tangled hair from her face and glares at the amused witch boy.

"You think that's funny, don'cha?" Kitrina replies with a mischievous smirk of her own.

Swinging her hand back, she launches forward and slaps water in Klarion's face.

Wiping the salty water from his sunglasses, he grins dark and wide.

This means war.

How quickly such a simple splash can escalate into an all-out brawl. Before long, they've become a mess of limbs and spraying water, pulling hair and dunking. A lifeguard tries to intervene but ultimately becomes caught in the crossfire. Turned to stone, he's little more than a resting post for seagulls.

With flashes of light and burning water, the whole lot of beachgoers run away seeking shelter. A bright red eldritch bolt crashes into the lifeguard tower, making it explode on impact. Splinters of wood erupt into the air.

Teekl stands at the water's edge, head cocked ever so as he watches these two battle.

Kitrina laughs as she grabs Klarion in a headlock, twisting his arm behind his back and pulling him down into the water.

"Learned THAT one from Killer Croc!" She declares as she triumphantly emerges from the water.

Whipping his raven-black hair back as he pops out of the water, Klarion pants heavily through gritted teeth. A droplet of water runs down his face, coming to a rest at the tip of his nose.

"A crocodile, you say?" Klarion taunts wickedly.

His black lips twist up into an evil and toothy grin, revealing a serrated set of magically altered razor-sharp teeth, making him look much like a shark.

Kitrina squeals as Klarion leaps for her. Wrapping his arms around her torso, he lifts her up into a great big hug before slamming both their bodies back down into the water.

Around and around they twirl, creating a vortex in the water as Klarion spins them into an alligator roll. Kitrina nearly loses consciousness until an elbow to the gut makes him release his hold on her and they both come floating back to the surface.

Clutching his stomach, Klarion struggles for air as Kitrina points and laughs. Her mockery only ends when a tangle of seaweed climbs up her legs and wraps around her body.

She trashes about, trying to free herself, but it's no use. The more she struggles, the tighter her restraints get. With every passing second, the seaweed traps her further, climbing up her body and wrapping itself tighter.

Klarion appears beside her with a high and mighty grin.

"Say 'uncle'." Klarion hums with an air of superiority.

With one last thrash, Kitrina finally surrenders to her bonds and swallows her pride.

"Uncle." She pouts at the elated young man.

"Wonderful!" Klarion exclaims, clapping his hands in delight. "Now tell me I'm the most glorious, powerful and handsome sorcerer in the whole entire world."

The slimy, green seaweed continues to creep further, slithering up her neck and along her cheek. The sensation makes her cringe.

"ENOUGH ALREADY! YOU WIN, ALRIGHT!" Kitrina shouts. "NOW JUST LET ME GO ALREADY!"

With his arms crossed over his chest, Klarion huffs.

"Spoilsport…" He mutters.

With the snap of his fingers, the seaweed unravels itself from her body and sinks back into the ocean. Kitrina shudders in disgust.

"_Blech_… I HATE seaweed." She groans as she frees a piece of the green slime from her hair and flings it at Klarion's chest.

He glares back at her, eyes narrowed. The corner of her mouth ticks into a smirk.

All at once, both Klarion and Kitrina begin to laugh. Clutching their sides, they lean on one another and laugh jovially until neither of them can breathe.

Arm in arm, they snicker as they make their way back towards the beach and crash down on its shore.

Exhausted, Klarion lies on his back and lets the bright sun warm his pale-blue skin. A gentle breeze blows past. His chest heaves as he gulps in the salty summer air. Nothing can possibly wash away the smile plastered to his face.

He won. He actually beat the Catgirl at her game.

He glances over at Kitrina, the salt and sand kissing her skin as she rests upon the beach. Her body gleams under the sun's rays, giving her the appearance of a goddess. Water drips from her like diamonds. He smiles and picks the seaweed from her hair.

Such rosy skin. Such shinning hair and bright eyes, touched by the sun and the light. Touched by the heavens above. Never touched by the likes of the Sheeda, the darkness and shame. Never touched by sin, like him.

How does she do this to him? Make him feel this way. So warm and light. The magic she possesses in just one look, one smile. It's enough to drive him mad.

Eyes still closed, she smiles back at him and reaches for his hand. Without any hesitation, he accepts. Interlocking his fingers with hers, they lay side by side on the ocean's shore, listening to the waves crash on the breeze.


	22. Chapter 21

**CREOLE WOMAN, CAJUN QUEEN**

The sun peeks through the window and casts its glow upon her bed, kissing her skin as if to say "good morning". So warm and well-rested, Kitrina happily stretches out across her bed. A moan escapes her lips as she straightens out her toes and reaches her arms towards the heavens.

Rolling over in bed, Kitrina wakes to find Teekl sitting in her doorway, staring. While she's grown accustomed to waking to find the little cat waiting to greet her, something about this particular morning seems a bit off. Perhaps it's that sad look in his eyes or that strange expression on his furry little face. Either way, it's certainly gotten Kitrina worried.

She drags her feet over the side of the bed and touches them to the floor. Pushing the covers aside, she rises from bed. The orange tabby darts from the room and out into the apartment. Kitrina pursues, following the familiar as he makes his way towards his master's bed.

The cat girl ducks her head inside the witch boy's dimly lit bedroom chamber. The thick black curtains are pulled tight, not allowing a single ray of sunshine from entering his bleak domain. Why must he always keep it so dark in here? She can just make out a form in the darkness, huddled on the bed. She squints her eyes in an ill-attempt to get a better look.

Taking a step forward, she quickly remembers the last time she had entered his room uninvited. The confrontation that ensued. Instead, she slinks back, clutching the door frame.

"Klarion?" She whispers.

A groan comes from out of the darkness. Teekl's shining green eyes stare back at her from atop the bed.

"I'm coming in, ok?"

With a gulp, she takes a step inside.

Her eyes can't help but wander as she makes her way across the room. Up the tall bookcase filled with various oddities and vials of strange liquids. The myriad stacks of musty dust-covered books. Her bare foot steps on something wet and squishy. With a small shriek of surprise, she nearly jumps the entire rest of the way to his bed.

This place was creepy enough in the light. In the dark, it's just plain frightening.

She finds herself hovering over Klarion's bedside, staring at the large mound of twisted sheets that she can only imagine is the witch boy curled up inside. Slowly, she places a hand on top of the covers and gives it a little shake.

"Klari?"

Another groan and he rolls over in bed, peeking his head out from under the covers.

Eyes glassy and bloodshot. Nose bright red. He sniffles and that's when she notices the pile of tissues strewn around her feet. Realization sinks in. It was most likely a dirty, snot-soaked tissue that she had stepped on. The thought makes her cringe just a little inside. Still, she sits down on his bed.

"Klari, you ok?" She asks softly. "How're you feeling?"

Again, he pulls the sheets above his head and groans.

"I want to die." He grumbles from somewhere far beneath.

Kitrina giggles and gives his blanketed form a hug, resting her head on him.

"You're just sick, silly." She says softly in a motherly tone. "Can I get you anything?"

She can feel him shift beneath her.

"Have you come to kill me?" He asks, his voice muffled beneath the covers.

With a crooked eyebrow, Kitrina stares down at the sick witch boy.

"No?" She replies.

"Then there is nothing you can offer me." He returns. "Be on your way and leave me be."

Kitrina can't help but sigh. She glances up at the worried little tabby sitting on the bed beside her. She doesn't even have to say a word, Teekl knows exactly what she's thinking just by the look on her face. It seems to be somewhere along the lines of "Why is your master such a prick?"

"I meant like orange juice or medicine or someth-"

The witch boy groans and throws the covers from his head. Growling, he rubs the heels of his palms into his weary eyes.

"Medicine..." He says, cutting Kitrina off. "I completely forgot I'm scheduled to meet with that gypsy woman today at noon to drop off my latest shipment."

"Shipment?" Kitrina asks. She remembers back to that fight they once had. "Oh! Like the troll testicles! I get it! So she's like one of your clients. You were supposed to make a drop off today or something?"

He nods his head while attempting to get out of bed.

Now that her eyes have adjusted to the darkness, she can clearly see just how pathetic he looks. Paler than usual. Sweaty and feverish. So sad and miserable. Kitrina places a hand on his warm chest and pushes him back down into bed.

"Don't strain yourself. You need your rest." She says softly. "You don't have to worry about a thing. I'll drop off your shipment. 'Kay? Just tell me where I'm going."

Klarion eyes her skeptically with a furrowed brow. After a few tense moments, he finally gives in and curls back into bed.

"Teekl will show you."

* * *

The sign above the door reads 'Madame Xanadu'. Kitrina looks up at the shabby, blinking neon lights and wonders just what the hell has she gotten herself into this time. She looks down at the cat sitting at her feet and crooks a brow. He stares back at her and cocks his head.

With a sigh, she takes hold of the knapsack on her shoulder and adjusts its weight. It feels as if the witch boy had filled it with bricks. It's completely weighing her down. How someone as lithe and frail as him can carry such weight is beyond her. Must be magic.

Shocking yet is the fact that the witch boy even LET her carry around his trusty knapsack let alone entrust her with his cat. The last time she had touched his things, she got the scolding of a lifetime and now he so willingly handed her his moved prized possessions. He really must be sick.

Without any further hesitation, she opens the door and steps inside. The tabby follows her closely.

Kitrina's lips part ever so slightly as she gawks at the ornate tapestries and rich colors. The shop reminds her of those enchanting little fortune teller booths she used to frequent as a kid when visiting the boardwalk. Like those old Zoltar machines that would spit out a lucky ticket. It leaves her in awe as her eyes take in every last detail.

"I've been waiting for you." A woman's voice purrs from directly behind. Her tone is laden with a thick creole drawl.

A bit startled, Kitrina spins on her heels to find who she can only assume to be the Madame, herself, sitting at a small round table. The woman's eyes watch her closely. Not so much staring AT her or PAST her, but THROUGH her. As if staring right into her soul.

Kitrina grabs hold of the strap to Klarion's knapsack, still heavy on her shoulder, as if it's the only thing to keep her anchored, protecting her from the gypsy woman's all-knowing gaze.

"Y-You have?" The cat girl squeaks.

"Of course, child. You're right on time."

Kitrina pulls out her phone to check the time.

"But it's 12:03. I'm three minutes late."

"That's only because you stopped for coffee."

A sly grin stretches across Kitrina's face. Her eyes turn dark and playful, more akin to the Catgirl than her everyday self.

"Ohhh... You're good." She purrs.

Xanadu offers a small but proud smile before turning her attention back towards the deck of Tarot cards laid out on the table in front of her. She picks them up in her hand and begins to shuffle.

"The poor witch boy is not well, I take it? Men really are such babies." She teases. "Perhaps that is why they were not properly designed to endure the pains of childbirth."

Kitrina laughs and finally removes the knapsack from her shoulder, resting it down on the ground by her feet.

"And so he's sent you in his stead." The gypsy woman continues. Her eyes take note of Teekl, sticking close to Kitrina's feet. "He must think very highly of you, to have charged you with the responsibility of looking after his familiar."

Kitrina looks down at Teekl, who in return stares up at her.

"I doubt it." She replies. "I'm pretty sure HE'S the one that's supposed to be watching after ME."

The gypsy laughs, making Kitrina a bit confused. She tilts her head.

"Then the witch boy must care for you even greater than I had thought to provide you with such protection." Xanadu purrs. "A familiar never leaves his post unless... Well... Perhaps we should let the cards explain."

Xanadu motions for her to come forward and Kitrina obliges, though a bit apprehensively. Fanning out the deck of Tarot cards in her hands, Xanadu instructs the cat girl to pick a card.

Kitrina bends forward, staring at the well worn cards, concentrating on which one to pick. Though she loves the attention, she's not quite fond of someone reading her fortune so candidly. This woman's the real deal. Not some panhandler in a cheap costume working séances and kid's birthday parties on the side. Kitrina looks into her eyes and knows that she can see right through to her core. Read her like a book. The thought of someone seeing the real her so easily. Divining her future... Kitrina would like to believe _she's_ in charge of her own fate. That _she_ creates her own destiny. Not some unseen higher power pulling the strings.

Without a second thought, she touches her finger to a card.

"Do not be scared." Xanadu reassures. "You have chosen well."

"Who says I'm scared." Kitrina sneers.

She's about to pull back when the older woman grabs hold of her hand firmly and pulls her in close. Kitrina hardly has time to protest as the woman flips her hand palm-side up and begins studying it intensely.

"You fear people getting too close." Xanadu replies. "Of seeing the real you."

Hunched over awkwardly, her hand outstretched in the other woman's grasp, Kitrina struggles to play nice. A cat doesn't much like being cornered. Instinct's telling her to punch the woman in the face. Break free from her bonds at any means necessary. It takes everything in her power to resist the urge.

"Oh yeah?" Kitrina returns, a bit on edge. "And just who am I REALLY?"

"Alone. Unloved. Betrayed. Guarded..." The gypsy extends coldly. "Holding within you so much anger. So much pain. And no matter how much you scream and punch and fight, it just won't go away. You want so badly to be loved, but don't believe you deserve it."

Through slitted eyes, their gazes meet. In a dark tone, the Madame continues her reading.

"I see a terrified child gasping for air in the cold dark abyss. So frightened. Clawing your way to the surface but you can't keep from drowning..."

Her words hit way too close to home. The cat girl's face turns a ghostly pallor. Ice water chills her veins.

Kitrina quickly retrieves her hand and clutches it to her chest like a wounded animal. Her eyes stare coldly at the fortune teller, though the gypsy woman's expression never falters. Eyes on the card the cat girl had picked, she flips it over it her hand to reveal its message. A small smile warms her otherwise pensive features.

"The witch boy's told me much of you." She says bluntly.

"O-Oh really..." Kitrina stammers.

Xanadu grins further.

"Not in so many WORDS, exactly." She purrs. "It's skin deep. Written in his aura. In his eyes. Words lie. But the soul cannot."

Kitrina's pink lips pull tight into a grimace.

"I see..."

This woman is a nut job. Klarion never said she'd be harassed. This was supposed to be a drop off. Not some soul search. Just what is this woman's end game, anyway? What is she trying to accomplish by poking her nose in the cat girl's business?

"And what does his SOUL say about me?" Kitrina asks.

Xanadu smiles warmly, her eyes turning back towards the cards as she begins to shuffle and deal.

"His soul is conflicted. Though his heart is in the right place." She replies rather enigmatically. "Perhaps you should ask him."

Kitrina rolls her eyes.

"Yeah... Sure. I'll get right on that." She groans. "So where do you want this anyway? Just unload it anywhere?"

She's tired of the gypsy's games. Picking up the knapsack, she gets back on task. Kitrina opens the witch boy's bag and begins unloading various jars and small packages on the register counter by the door. Pulling out a list, she begins crossing items off as she takes inventory of Klarion's shipment. Removing a fowl-smelling jar labeled 'dragon urine', she can't help but stick out her tongue and grimace.

"And what of you?" Xanadu asks, still seated at the table across the small room. "What are you thoughts of the witch boy?"

Kitrina keeps her back towards her, still marking items off Klarion's list.

"Didn't you just read my palm?" She asks with a shortness in her tone.

"Yes, but I want to hear your words." Xanadu returns.

"Don't words lie?"

Xanadu doesn't reply, just stares intently on the back of Kitrina's head. The cat girl sighs loudly and shrugs her shoulders.

"I like him just fine."

Xanadu doesn't seem pleased with Kitrina's response. She can feel the girl's complete avoidance of the question. As if she's hiding something.

"The witch boy is resting peacefully right now, he cannot hear what we are saying nor does he have any idea of our conversation. And as for the familiar. You can trust him not to divulge your secrets. You needn't worry about the little cat reporting back to his master." She turns her eyes to Teekl. "Am I correct?"

She had almost forgotten that Teekl was here, sitting so quietly by the door. Kitrina turns her attention towards the cat for a moment, smiles, then returns to her work. She's just about reached the bottom of Klarion's bag anyway. Then she can get the hell out of here.

"Well... He's... sweet. At times." Kitrina says softly, crossing the last item off her list. "Alright, I think that's it. One jar of dragon's urine. _Gross_... A bundle of hemlock. Hollyhock. Wolfsbane. Sage. Five hex bags. A jar of graveyard dirt. Another jar of dead sea salt. One pound of church silver. A mojo bag. Hellhound teeth. Evocation oil. Prayer candles. Aaaaand... A partridge in a pear tree."

The gypsy woman doesn't share Kitrina's sense of humor. Silence fills the room. Kitrina picks up Klarion's bag and returns it to her shoulder.

"You'll find the witch boy's payment beside the register." Xanadu replies. "Can I trust you to deliver it to him?"

"I don't know. You're psychic. Why don't you tell me."

Kitrina takes the money and shoves it inside Klarion's knapsack.

"A bit of tea and rest and the witch boy should be right as rain come the morning." Xanadu extends, still playing with her deck of cards.

Kitrina nods and motions for the door.

"Aren't you at all curious as to the card you picked?" Xanadu asks, stopping Kitrina short. "Your reading?"

Hand hovering at the doorknob, Kitrina's eyes fall to the floor.

"You know what they say about curiosity and cats... Maybe it's best I don't know." She replies darkly. "And besides. In the end, we all meet the same fate anyway. I know exactly where I'm going."

With a nod, Xanadu takes one last look at Kitrina's card before returning it to the deck.

"Very well, my Empress." She says softly. "In due time, then. You will learn your purpose soon enough. Your role in this world of worlds."

The little brass bell atop the door to Madame Xanadu's parlor chimes, indicating both Kitrina and her companion have dispersed. Xanadu pulls Kitrina's card back out from the deck.

The Empress stares up at her. Hair of spun gold and wearing a crown of stars, she sits upon her throne in a lush and earthly garden. Her belly swollen with new life.

Placing the card face-side down on the table, Madame Xanadu rises from her seat to put her newly acquired goods away.

"The creation of things to come... I only hope you live long enough to see the day, my dear."

* * *

_**A bit of a filler chapter, but it's setting things up for future chapters.  
Next stop, SUPER FLUFFY TOWN! :D  
xoxo**_


	23. Chapter 22

**FIRE AND WATER**

Klarion wakes in a cold sweat.

He can't quite put his finger on it, but something feels off. Surely something sinister has awoken him from his slumber.

The air is thick, and not the normal muggy Gotham thick either, but more like an impenetrable force. An aura of deep and brooding darkness filled with anguish and dread so thick that it is making it impossible to even breath. He can taste it in the back of his throat. Murky and terrifying. It feels as if he's drowning.

Sitting up in bed, he finds Teekl already waiting for him by the door. The petrified tabby turns his head towards his master and shudders, far too afraid to venture outside the safety of their bedroom.

"Scaredy cat..." Klarion groans as he swings his feet out from under the covers.

Climbing out of bed, Klarion scoops Teekl up into his arms and prepares to investigate.

There's no mistaking it. Whatever dark force that awaits them is definitely coming from somewhere within this apartment. As they step into the hallway, the aura only becomes stronger.

As if following a trail of breadcrumbs, both Klarion and Teekl find themselves just outside Kitrina's bedroom door. He doesn't even think of the repercussions of entering her chamber unannounced. Without hesitation, the witch boy opens the door and steps inside.

"_It's coming from Kitrina_." Teekl says with worry, nestling further into Klarion's arms.

Sure enough, the aura around Kitrina's slumbering form is so dark and vile it's nearly palpable. Every single one of Klarion's senses is fogged by its malice.

"She's just having a nightmare." Klarion reassures his frightened familiar. "Nothing to alarm yourself over."

The mattress slumps beneath him as he takes a seat on her bed. Softly, he reaches out to her and strokes her tear-stained cheek.

"Kitty?"

With clawed fingers, she grasps at her covers and violently shifts in bed.

"Kitty, can you hear me?"

Again she thrashes, as if trying to escape his touch.

"Kitty..." He calls out to her once more. Eyes red and glowing, he touches his hand to her temple, trying to make a connection to her highly distressed mind.

Upon feeling his skin to hers, her eyes shoot open, wide and alert. Her hands quickly cover her mouth to stifle a scream. Tears begin streaming down her face uncontrollably as she gasps and gags, trying to regain her breath.

The darkness disperses.

Her trembling eyes find him sitting beside her, but her mind is still too attached to the nightmare to think straight. To her, he appears as the enemy.

He reaches out to hold her, but she's far too frightened, causing her to attack. Her words are incoherent and nonsensical as she claws at his arms and face. Kicking and screaming, she thrashes about in bed. Still, he tries to calm her.

He forcefully grabs hold of her flailing arms, pinning them to her side as he attempts to subdue her. Squeezing her body so tightly against him, he makes it impossible for her move any further, though still she struggles to break free.

"Kitty... KITTY. CALM DOWN, Kitty. It's ME."

Even in the darkness, she recognizes his voice. Her actions begin to calm and cease.

With her hands balled around his grey cotton nightshirt, she looks upward, staring desperately into his obsidian eyes. Through the haze of her tears, he finally comes into view.

"Klarion?"

He loosens his grip on her, releasing her arms.

"It's me." He breathes more softly this time.

She throws her arms around his torso and cries hysterically. Arms in the air, Klarion stares down at Kitrina, unsure what to do. Teekl squeezes himself out from in between them and nuzzles her side to comfort the cat girl as she wails.

"It's ok." Klarion says softly in a comforting tone. "It was just a dream."

He tentatively wraps his arms around her shivering form and pulls her in close, letting her head sit on his chest. With nimble fingers, he gathers the hair from around her face and pushes it to the side, stroking her golden locks gently as he rocks them back and forth.

He cradles her in his arms until her sobs become mere whimpers. By the time she has finished with her fit, his shirt is sopping wet.

Pulling back slightly, she rests her forehead against his damp chest.

"I'm so sorry, Klari... I..." Choking up again, it takes her a moment to compose herself. "It's never been that bad before. You shouldn't have had to... had to..."

"It's ok." Klarion reassures her, his hand still idly combing through her hair.

Together, they sit in silence until she's fully calmed.

"I ruined your shirt." Kitrina manages a laugh.

"Nothing that can't be washed."

He glances down at the top of her head as she continues to hold onto him like a lifeline. Her clawed hands desperately clutch onto his shirt as if afraid to let go. He's never seen her so weak and powerless before, so vulnerable. She's usually so strong and boastful. A confident and worthy adversary. Perhaps it's all just a ruse, an outer shell to hide her frail interior. Her hands cannot stop quaking. It hurts him to see her this way.

"Kitty? Would you care to tell me of your nightmare?" He asks. "You said you've had these dreams before?"

Her body stiffens in his arms.

"It's ok if you don't want to…"

He feels so warm. His arms surround her, encompassing her like a cocoon. She's never felt so safe.

She thinks back to the gypsy woman's words. How she's afraid to let anyone in. Kitrina hates to admit, but the crazy lady's right.

To be honest, maybe it's his arms around her or maybe even the musk of his scent, but she's never felt so comfortable. So open and willing to surrender so completely to another before. If it weren't for her nightmare, she'd find the feeling so entirely frightening. So new.

"It's alright... I don't mind. I mean, I really should be over this by now, anyway." She begins rather quietly, her voice nothing more than a whisper. "It's more of a memory, really. It never really seemed to bother me until I came back to Gotham. But recently it's been getting worse and worse. I just... I can't let it go."

Laying her cheek against his chest, she finds his steady heartbeat both calm and soothing. Never before has he ever seemed so human to her, so approachable. It's actually rather nice. Closing her eyes, she listens to his heart as she continues.

"I... I'm not really a Falcone." Kitrina confesses, pausing for a moment. "It's just the name I go by. It's no biggie, really. I've changed my name before. Cats got nine lives. Hell, so do I."

Klarion eyes her, confused.

"So then that begs the question," He begins, "who are you really?"

The cat girl smiles.

"I'm no one." Kitrina begins. "I mean, I never really knew my parents. My birth parents, that is. You see, I'm adopted." She says softly. "They were just so boring, y'know? So... normal. I just... I never felt like I belonged. Like I was meant for so much more. So I left."

The witch boy knows the feeling all too well. The yearning pull towards excitement and danger. Adventure. It's the same exact reason why he left his home.

"Anyway... I ran with a couple gangs for a while, even the Penguin, but that all got old hat real fast. So I decided to try my luck with the up and coming Falcone crime family. Even blackmailed my good ol' "_uncle_" Mario into throwing word around town that I was the late great Carmine "The Roman" Falcone's dirty little secret daughter. He really didn't care. Let me use his family's name as long as I paid my dues and remained useful." She clenches her fingers tight into his shirt. "I worked my ASS off doing all his dirty work. I tried so hard to make him see me. You know... REALLY see me as part of the family. But... When I was no longer of any use to him, he... One night him and his guys threw me in a wooden box and tossed me off the docks. I... still remember… the sensation of being wet and frightened and cold. FEEL the water burning my lungs as I clawed at the inside of that damned pine coffin until my fingers bled... I thought I was going to die."

"But you survived." Klarion interjects.

"Like I said... Cats got nine lives, right?" She laughs bitterly into his chest. "Y'know. I read once that when you drown, it's not so much your lungs filling up with water that kills you. Your heart gives out way before that. From the fear..."

Klarion's fingers curl into her hair. He's not quite sure what he's supposed to do or say to make her feel any better. He's not quite accustomed to these sorts of social interactions, especially ones with girls. Not that he thinks of Kitrina as a girl, per say. Sure they've kissed and he's spied on her perhaps a bit more than just the one time... But he's never thought of her as anything more than just a friend. A friend with very shapely hips, but still, just a friend. The thought of them being anything more than just that... Still… With her in his arms, he can't help but wonder...

Clearing his throat, he stares down at the top of her head. He wants so bad to say something, anything, to break this horrid silence.

"My village once tried to burn me at the stake."

It's all that he can think to say.

She looks up at him with big green eyes as if begging him to continue. He shifts uncomfortably.

"Well... It was really all just one big misunderstanding. I hold no ill will towards any of my fellow neighbors. But I nearly got burned alive." He continues. "I was finally cut down before it was too late. My... mother did eventually apologize."

"That must'a been frightening." She says softly into his chest.

"Very."

Her hands crawl up his back, coming to a rest at the nape of his neck. Slowly, she begins to curl her fingers around his raven-black hair.

She had nearly forgotten how good it feels to be held in someones arms, even if it is just a friend on the other end of their embrace.

She buries her head in his chest and breathes in his scent, letting his natural aroma consume her. He smells of sandalwood and leather-bound books with a hint of burning leaves. It's both soothing and intoxicating.

"Klarion?"

"Hn?"

She can hear his heart quicken as her finger accidentally brushes against the shell of his ear. It makes her smile just ever so.

"This is gonna sound weird, but..." She trails off. "Oh God, this is stupid."

He looks down at her, curious as to what she had meant to say.

"What is it?"

Surely she's blushing. He can feel her body warm against him.

"Stay?" She says timidly. "Would you lay with me here... a-at least until I fall asleep?"

He's silent for a moment as if deliberating an answer. His eyes roam for Teekl, but his cat is of no use, he's already fast asleep beside them.

He can still sense the fear in the tone of her voice, feel her utter desperation. She needs him. Pride pushed aside, she actually needs him. It must have taken quite a bit of courage for her to ask such a thing.

"S-Sure."

With Kitrina in his arms, he lays them down rigidly on her bed. She cuddles in further to his warmth, wrapping her legs around his.

His eyes dart to the ceiling and his lips tighten into a thin, black line.

"Relax." She sighs contently.

He tries to loosen up, but his nerves simply won't allow it. His heart feels like it might jump out of his chest at any moment. If any of his blue-skinned brothers were to see him like this right now, surely they would cry scandal. Hell... They might even try to burn him at the stake again.

Without even realizing it, nervously, he begins to hum a low and haunting tune. Something he's heard a thousand times before.

Kitrina snakes her arm upward, raking her hand into Klarion's bed-headed hair. Like a composer, her fingers swirl around his hair, drawing circles along his scalp in tune to the melody. Though his song is sad, it lifts her soul. She nuzzles her head into his chest, listening to the deep rumble as he hums.

"What are you humming?"

Looking down at Kitrina, he notices her bright eyes staring up at him once more.

"It's... uh... It's a Croatoan hymn." Klarion responds quietly. "My mother used to sing it to me when I was little."

He can feel her smiling into his chest. Her aura lightens and so does he.

His body begins to loosen and relax. Suddenly it doesn't feel so strange lying alongside her with her body in his arms. It's that look in her eyes that calms his soul. So natural, like this is meant to be.

"Tell me about your home?" Kitrina whispers softly, laying her head back down on his chest. "You said it's called... Limbo Town. Right?'

Resting an arm behind his head, he stares up at the ceiling. With her fingers in his hair, their hands touch ever so slightly. His other arm can't help but pull her in tighter.

"There's really not much to say." Klarion begins. "It's not quite heaven and not quite hell, but somewhere in between."

"Sounds like Gotham." Kitrina giggles quietly.

Klarion chuckles quietly in return.

"Yeah. That's probably why I like this city so much, except... except there are no walls here. No ceiling either." He idly begins stroking her back as he continues. "My home is a magic community sealed off from the rest of the world. It's quaint and dark and it rains nearly all year long. We Croatoans devote ourselves to our studies and not much else. We live simple lives... Farming and gathering, mostly. It could be pretty dull most of the time, but it's really not all that bad... I spent my childhood making mischief. When I wasn't trying to run away, I could be found hiding in the mines and climbing trees or skipping stones across the..." He can sense she's no longer listening. "Kitty? Are you still awake?"

Her aura shifts. He can tell she's somewhere between wake and sleep, though her eyes remain closed. The tip of her nose brushes against his neck. Softly, she whispers into his skin.

"Klarion?"

"Hmm?" He warmly breathes his reply.

"You tell anyone you saw me cry..." Her voice begins to fade as sleep takes it's hold. "I'll tear out your... I'll..."

He presses his lips to her forehead.

"I know." He replies, smiling softly against her skin.

Her soft snore tells him that she's sleeping and her aura indicates that she is dreaming. This time a much more pleasant dream, no doubt. Staring into her sleeping face, he can't help but notice how peaceful she looks. How wondrous. How lovely...

Their legs are so entangled, he can't tell his from hers. Where does he begin and she end? Her body partially lays on top of his, her chest against him. Her heart rests beside his, beating in time with his own.

He really should leave now that she is asleep, but can't bring himself to do so. Though as entangled as they are, she pins him to the bed. Even if he wanted to leave, he couldn't. Yawning, he's come to find he's never felt so comfortable.

He's not exactly sure what it is that possesses him to do so, but slowly, he dips his head forward and softly presses his lips to hers.

"Rest well." He whispers.

Pulling her in closer to his body, he closes his eyes and waits for sleep to take him. His last drifting thoughts are of her face as well as a reminder to himself not to inform his wicked cat of tonight's events. The last thing he needs to hear is that all too familiar self-righteous purr.

* * *

_****__**Sorry it took so long to update! I just got back from vacation! Here's the fluffiness I promised! More to come!**_

_**This chapter brings us ALLLLL the way back to the very first chapter when we first meet Kitrina in her apartment. Did you remember she woke from a nightmare then too?**_

_**A bit of comic book fun facts: Klarion nearly gets burned alive in Seven Soldiers: Klarion #4 and Kitrina gets buried in a watery grave in Batman #694.  
**_


	24. Chapter 23

**A MOMENT OF WEAKNESS**

Such a strange feeling to wake and find you're not alone. Just a tangle of limbs and bed sheets. Matted hair and the combined scent of their bodies. The linens smell of warm fields of grain and that moment where Summer gives way into Fall. So warm and sunny, daylight peeks its way in through the curtains.

Kitrina lies beside him, still fast asleep as Klarion stirs awake. With his one free hand, he reaches up to rub the sleep from his eyes. A yawn escapes his blackened lips.

He looks down at his chest. At some point in the night, Kitrina's arm had snaked it's way up inside his night shirt and now lays resting at the top of his chest, just touching his clavicle. Her little pink fingertips poke out from the collar of his shirt.

During the night, he as well had completely engulfed her in his arms, pressing her so tightly to his body. One hand at the small of her back, his fingertips dipping into the waist band of her pajama shorts. The other curled into her hair. So tightly entangled are they that had it not been for what little clothes either of them are wearing, one would think they had been coupling.

Though the act of them sharing the same bed is hardly sexual, one cannot deny its intimacy. He's never been so close to another before.

She feels so warm against him. Her hot breath tickling his neck, breathing so soft and shallow as she slumbers. She looks so peaceful. He dares not wake her.

It's a wonder how she's come to trust him so completely. They've come a long way from the bitter days when he first moved in. He must admit, even HE has changed quite a bit. Grown and matured perhaps ever so slightly in the time that he has known her. He's come to care for the little cat girl. Even grown to be a bit protective of her. He'd even go so far as to say he actually LIKES her. He enjoys having her around and takes delight in the company she brings. Enjoys her bright smile. Her laugh and playful shining eyes. The way she prances about the apartment like a queen. But more than anything, he's enamored by her scent. Burying his nose into her hair, he breathes her in deep.

She begins to stir. With her lips pressed to his neck at that sweet spot just below the ear, he swears he can feel her purring. That soft little rumble to her warm moan as she wakes. It fills him with electricity, sending shivers down his spine. He can feel her thrumming through him, reverberating off his bones. It prickles his skin with goose-flesh, giving him a tingling sensation from the top of his head all the way down into the tips of his toes.

Her hand runs down his lean chest, feeling its way along what little pectoral muscles he has. She groans into his skin, nestling her head further into his neck.

Klarion watches her as she wakes, marveling at the sight of her coming alive to greet the day. She stretches out her toes, nearly touching them to his. It reminds him of a cat waking from a nap in a warm sunny spot.

Sensing she's so close to wake, he removes his hand from her shorts and tries his best to separate himself from her, at least just a little. Give her a bit of breathing room. Surely she's not expecting to wake and find him still there. He was only supposed to stay until she had fallen asleep.

A bit of panic sets in. What will she say when she wakes? Will she be cross with him? Yell? Scream? Punch?

If only he can un-ensnare his legs from hers, he can teleport away. Surely there's still time. It's not too late...

Her eyes open to meet his. Shining green emeralds to deep obsidian. She looks at him a bit confused but also still so very much half asleep. Her stare makes the pointed tips of his ears redden and warm.

"Blue?" She says groggily. "What are you-"

"I-I-I can explain!" He cuts in. "You see I... I'm so sorry, Kitty. I must have fallen asleep. I never meant to..."

Sitting up in bed, she stretches her arms above her head and groans.

"Mmmm... No big." She moans. "That was the best nights sleep I've had in a while anyway. You're super hella comfy, Blue."

She runs her fingers through her hair, combing out the tangles. Though he's seen her nearly every single morning since he's lived here, something about the way she looks this particular morning strikes him with awe. It's as if she's glowing. Sans makeup, she really is quite pretty. So pure. How has he never noticed before?

"I didn't kick you in the middle of the night or anything, did I?" She asks, moving her eyes towards him. He quickly wipes the goofy grin from his face. "I'm sorry if I did. It's kinda a tiny bed."

"No. Not at all."

Nodding, she gets up and out of bed. Her back towards him, she stands straight and stretches her arms up towards the ceiling. Klarion sits up as well, elbows on his knees as he continues watching her. He can tell by her aura, she's uncomfortable with something. He can practically feel her distress.

"Look, Blue... A-About last night..." She begins, lowering her arms. Her back remains towards him as she talks, hiding her face. "I'd really appreciate it if you don't tell anyone about what I told you."

Klarion tilts his head.

"Do you mean about how you're not really a Falc-"

"Yes." Kitrina interrupts hastily. "That."

She sighs and turns back to face him, though her eyes find their way to the floor.

"I've... never told anyone about that before." She confides softly. "Not Enigma. Not even Selina. Ok?"

She looks up at him to catch him nod his head. A small and timid smile warms her face.

The witch boy is a bit surprised by her candidness. The fact that she has entrusted him with such a deep and personal secret. One, in which, she has never shared with another living soul before. And now she has asked of him to guard it for her. To him, it's a great honor.

"Haven't you ever wondered?" Klarion asks. She tilts her head, unsure what he's referring to. "I mean about your parentage. Haven't you ever wondered where it is you came from?"

"No." She says bluntly, catching the witch boy off guard. "They abandoned me. So I couldn't care less. You can't dwell on the past. That's why I wish I could shake this whole nightmare deal. I just can't find a way to get over it already. Y'know, leave the past behind. Get rid of that godawful memory."

"I could help you."

She stares at the young blue man for a moment, deliberating. No one ever gives to her, she only ever takes. She never asks for assistance nor has she ever needed anyone's help. Except he WANTS to help, she knows that. But at what price? Nothing's ever free. And she doesn't much like owing anyone.

"And in return..." She asks, waiting for him to fill the gap with his reply.

"Nothing."

Kitrina snorts. Rolling her eyes, she turns her back on the witch boy.

Klarion gets up from his seat on the bed to approach her. Placing a warm hand on her shoulder, he turns the young woman around.

"No, really. I want to help." He says firmly, with such reassurance. "Whatever I can do. If it eases your mind, I'd like to give my assistance."

He's standing so close to her, just a hair's breadth between them. She looks up into his eyes, so determined and focused on hers. Without even realizing it, she finds herself nodding. How does he do that? Why does he make her feel so weak and powerless? So willing to surrender. To give in to him.

"I um... sure. Whatever." She replies. Turning on that old Catgirl charm, she gives a little smirk with the tilt of her hips. "I'm all yours."

With a solemn face, he doesn't reply, just continues standing beside her with his hand on her shoulder. Their eyes stay locked, the two of them frozen in the moment. A private little moment in time shared only between them.

Like the gypsy woman, he stares right through her and straight into her soul. But the look in his eye... No one's ever looked at her like that before. She'd give anything, all her offshore bank accounts, just to get the slightest idea as to what he is thinking.

His thumb slowly strokes her shoulder ever so slightly. The action is hardly anything worth noting, but the sensation it gives her, of his skin to hers. It tugs at her heart and makes her swoon. Makes her loins ache. Weak in the knees, they threaten to buckle, but she refuses to give in just yet. Realizing they're both in little more than their underwear, she feels a blush coming on.

Should she regret letting him get so close? Or does she invite him in further to her little world of untold secrets and lies?

There is one thing she knows for sure. Enigma was right. He is hot. DAMN hot, in fact, now that she's seen him dressed down to just a thin cotton shirt and boxer briefs.

"I... uh... I should really go shower."

"Hm?"

He looks down at her as if awaking from a dream, trying to piece together what she just said.

"Oh. Oh right." He replies, removing his hand from her. "I... I'll leave you to your privacy then."

She takes a small step back, away from him. Touching a hand to her shoulder, her hand rests in the spot where he had just laid his. Even though it's gone, she can still feel his phantom touch upon her skin.

Klarion turns back towards the bed to collect Teekl who's still fast asleep. The tired little cat is less than pleased as his master scoops him up in his arms and makes towards the door.

"Klarion?"

He turns around.

"Thank you." She says softly, her eyes finding his.

"I haven't done anything yet."

"For last night." She replies softly, eyes again falling on the floor. "For everything... You didn't have to stay, but you did. Just... being there... You helped more than you know. So... Thank you."

With a warm smile, the witch boy nods and leaves, shutting the door behind him. At the sound of the latch, Kitrina drops to her knees on her bedroom floor. Her legs had finally given out.

It's a wonder it didn't happen sooner, while he was still there. She had put on a brave face, played the part well, but the truth of the matter is she's petrified. She can't stop her legs from shaking. Though the WHY remains a mystery, even to her.

With deep breaths, she tries to calm herself, but she can't quite seem to catch her breath. Her heart is racing like a bullet train. It feels as if she's taken a high dive off a skyscraper. Her pulse thunders in her head.

She tells herself it's all just a result of the nightmare, remnants of last night. But truth is, it's something even more terrifying than that. She looks down at her hands which are shaking just the same.

Could it be...

Could she actually be in...

"...love..." She whispers to herself.

* * *

_**Second post in one week to make up for the time I was away! enJOY! XOXO**_


	25. Chapter 24

**THE DARK CRYSTAL**

When did she fall in love with him? Was there an exact moment or did her attraction grow over time? She certainly didn't feel this way upon the first time they met or even the first few weeks after that. He was such a jerk to her back then. Impossible to live with and a total brat. So when did that change? When did the irritating become the irresistable?

Lounging on his bed, her head resting on his pillows, she watches as he works. Shirt sleeves rolled up to the elbows, his jacket hangs neatly on the desk chair nearby. He stands over a bubbling cauldron, tossing in herbs and jotting down the results in a little notebook hovering mid-air. So engrossed by his work, he rarely makes eye contact, though every now and again he'll peek upwards to catch her staring and he'll smile.

She finds herself watching him more and more lately. Always quiet, rarely asking questions. Just contently absorbing his every move. He doesn't seem to mind. In fact, she'd go so far as to say that he seems to enjoy her company. Even allowing Teekl to snuggle up beside her.

Running her fingers through the familiar's fur, Kitrina turns her attention towards Klarion's face, studying his impish yet masculine features. An angled jaw, strong yet thin, leading down into a pointed chin. That roman nose that points up just ever so slightly at the end. And those eyes that go on forever. Deep black pools of obsidian that she can oh so easily drown in for all eternity.

And his body ain't bad either.

Her eyes shift lower to his long and slender, almost boyish frame.

It's amazing really how trim he actually is considering just how much junk food the guy eats. Sugar must account for at least half his intake. Not that he looks malnourished. There's actually the slightest hint of muscle on those waif bones of his. Lean and tone. He obviously takes very good care of himself.

With a yawn, Kitrina nuzzles her face into Teekl's fur. The fluffy cat purrs.

Quite truthfully, she'd love nothing more than to jump the boy's bones right now. Feel his hands grip her thighs tightly. His lips against her neck panting sweet obscenities. Rock his world so hard her legs shake for a week.

The slightest of smirks crosses her delicate lips.

Ok. So maybe LOVE isn't exactly the right word to express her emotions for him, though she really can't be sure. What exactly is love anyway? She's never known love, neither physically or emotionally. Her "uncle" sure never loved her, going so far as to try to kill her time and time again. Same goes for the so-called boyfriends throughout the years. Her relationships have been filled with nothing more than sex and lies. Broken hearts and the kind of scars that only time heals. Alright, and a few that needed medical attention as well.

Something about him, though, is different, although she can't quite put her finger on it for sure. She's never wanted anything so badly and the fact that he can't be bought or stolen leaves her so unsure as to what she's supposed to do.

Wrapping her legs up in his blankets, she turns in his bed, taking Teekl with her as she cozies in for a cat nap.

She's never needed love before, so why now? Why does the thought of him make her heart ache so badly?

Klarion blindly scribbles inside his notepad, not paying any mind to what it is he's just jotted down.

He's been staring at her for the past ten minutes out of the corner of his eye, watching as she rests. Actually, he's been watching her for even longer than that. Linking minds with Teekl, he's been keeping an eye on her for quite some time now. Even going so far as to keep the link going as Kitrina ran her hands through Teekl's fur. In fact, the link is still going. He has yet to shut it off.

He's been doing this more and more often lately. Addicted to the feeling of her hands across his skin and along his scalp. The scent of her as Teekl buries his nose in her hair. The taste of her skin as he licks her cheek. He used to hate it when Teekl forced him to feel such things. Now Klarion simply cannot do without.

Her pheromone-like scent sticks to his sheets, making it nearly impossible to rest even after she has left. It's a tease, really. Even though he smells her there beside him, he turns to find she's nothing but a phantom in his bed. Although it was just for one night, he misses sleeping beside her. He hasn't gotten a decent nights rest since.

With a sigh, the witch boy pockets his pencil. Why does she make it so damned hard to concentrate when she's near?

He clears his throat and the cat girl's ears prick up, alert.

Truth be told, he's had a cure to her little nightmare dilemma for days now, though he's been far too afraid of bringing up the subject. Afraid that once he lived up to his end of the bargain, she'd no longer need him and would cease coming around. Now that he's gotten her attention, though, there's no going back.

"I got you something." He says quietly, eyes still on his work.

She turns over in bed to face him and his eyes move towards the brown paper bag sitting on the top of his desk. Curiosity piqued, she sits upright and swings her legs over to the side of the bed, rising to her feet.

"So, what's in the bag?" Kitrina asks, leaning over his desk to take a peek inside.

Her excitement is like that of a child's. If she were to have a tail, surely it would be swishing to and fro right about now. Instead, her backside sticks out just ever so slightly, giving it a little wiggle as she teeters on her tippy toes. She's definitely a girl who enjoys receiving gifts.

"Just a couple needed items." Klarion replies, finally looking up from his work to glance over at her. "To help you with your problem."

The contents of the bag are both intriguing and mystifying. Little baggies and jars of nameless herbs and oils, a book or two about who knows what, countless candles, as well as many other things that she has little idea as to what their intended purpose might be.

One thing she knows for certain, the bag holds his scent. Spicy and musky but fragrant and nice. Like something out of a fairytale where old world meets new.

Something strange catches her eye. Reaching into the bag, she pulls out a magazine.

"Busty Asian Beauties?" She asks with a bit of a smirk and a playful brow. "How is that supposed to help me-"

"THAT'S MINE!" Klarion replies quickly, snatching up the magazine from out of her grasp. Throwing it into a desk drawer, he stands straight and runs his fingers through his hair, regaining composure. He clears his throat and reaches inside the bag. "THIS is yours."

Pulling a crystal pendant out from within the confines of the bag, Klarion holds it up for Kitrina to see.

Her eyes sparkle as she looks it over. She goes to grasp it, but he pulls it out of reach. Her sour face only makes him grin wider.

"THIS isn't the gift." Klarion hums, placing the crystal back inside the bag. "But rather freeing you from your nightmares IS."

Placing himself between her and the bag, Klarion sidles in closer to Kitrina's body. The side of his face nearly touches hers as he leans in to whisper in her ear.

"That is..." He taunts from over her shoulder. "If you're up for it."

Her eyes turn to the side to meet his. Wicked and playful, a smirk crosses her lips.

"Oh..." She purrs. "You're so on, Blue Boy."

He grins wide and mischievous, black lips pulling tight against blue skin.

"Delightful." He purrs in return.

Klarion snaps his fingers and the cauldron he had been working on earlier disappears from sight, no doubt stored away in a pocket dimension somewhere.

"Are you gonna force me to drink goat's blood or something?" Kitrina asks sincerely.

With a face of disgust, Klarion sneers.

"No." He replies dreadfully. "Why would you say such a thing?"

Kitrina shrugs slightly.

"That's what witches do, right? Animal sacrifices and such. Eye of newt? Y'know. Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble."

Klarion can't help but roll his eyes.

"I do believe you've been watching far too many movies, my dear." He sighs.

With the wave of his hand, he pulls out the desk chair behind her, kicking her legs out from under her and forcing her to take a seat. Retrieving the bag from atop the desk, he quickly spins on his heels to step away.

Sitting in the witch boy's desk chair, Kitrina watches as Klarion familiarizes himself with the contents of the bag. He seems so in his element, pulling out candles and setting them about the room. It reminds her of watching a man shave. Like some sort of private ritual she cannot take part in, but can only view as an outsider. The feeling it gives her is indescribable, leaving her feeling warm and somewhat fuzzy all over.

Setting a bundle of sage ablaze, he walks around the room and lets its smoke create a perimeter.

"I'm going to need you to remove your blouse and lay down on the bed." Klarion instructs in a no-nonsense tone and his back towards her, meticulously continuing his work.

Kitrina quirks a brow but doesn't question. Removing her shirt, she tosses it onto the chair and slowly stalks towards the bed, thanking her lucky stars that she just so happened to wear a bra today.

"No. Not like that." Klarion chides, stamping out the sage and returning it to the bag. "You must be flat on your back for this to work."

With a light blush, Kitrina obeys.

Turning to face her, Klarion stares at her with discriminating eyes, as if going over some sort of mental checklist in his mind. His glare makes her shrink just a little inside. No one has ever looked at her in such a manner before. She can't help but admit that it is turning her on, at least just a bit.

Less than pure thoughts about her roommate and friend invade her mind and it only becomes increasingly worse as he approaches the bed.

"Do you trust me?" He asks from the foot of his bed.

Her heart skips a beat.

She has no idea what he has in store for her, but there's one thing she's knows for certain.

"Y-Yeah." She squeaks.

With her consent, he climbs onto the bed and crawls on top of her. Her heart rate climbs as he sits atop her lap, straddling her tense and semi-naked body.

This seems so surreal. Surely this can't be happening. He stares down at her with piercing black eyes, burning a hole through her soul. She stares back with slight apprehension, unsure what to do or say.

He seems so different. So strong and sure. It's like he's a completely different person. Her eyes scan him over. And since when did he get so damn handsome? His face is so steely and cold. So professional.

Her eyes trail lower, stopping at the crotch to his black dress pants, stretched tight across his long legs. Placing a hand at either side of her body, the witch boy leans in close.

The corner of his mouth quirks into that sly and secretive half-smile he always does when he is thinking. Like when he is nose deep in a book and she has no idea as to what he is thinking of.

"Kitty?"

"Hmmm?"

"You're blushing."

He can feel the tension in her aura. The burning excitement and head rushing lust. It's making him dizzy. And although he enjoys the sensation, it's not the time nor the place. It's throwing him off his game.

"Well what do you expect, Blue? Bet you'd be doing the same if we switched spots." Kitrina purrs. She flashes him a dangerous grin. "Y'know, I'm starting to think you made all this up just to take advantage of me."

His eyes grow wide.

"I would do no such thing!" He protests.

Kitrina pouts.

"Pity..." She breathes in a husky sex-laced tone.

She hadn't thought it possible, but his eyes grow wider still. Purplish red, the witch boy breaks out in a blush to match hers.

"W-Wait... WHAT?" Klarion shakes his head and screws his eyes shut, steeling his composure. With a gravely sigh, he pinches the bridge of his nose. "Look... I'm going to need you to relax. Your total concentration is necessary if this is bound to work."

With a deep breath, Kitrina exhales and closes her eyes, telling herself over and over again to control herself.

"Sorry." She half grumbles.

He leans into her further and carefully brushes her bangs away from her face, tucking them away behind her ear with his soft and nimble fingers.

"Quite alright. Just don't let it happen again" He says with a sigh. "Now... Are you ready?"

Opening her eyes, she takes a deep breath and nods.

Reaching into the belt loop at the back of his pants, he produces a dagger. The same dagger that she had tried to steal what now seems like so very long ago. Her eyes widen ever so slightly, though she doesn't flinch. She trusts him not to harm her. Completely and fully, she trusts him with her life.

With a single stroke, he slices open his left index finger and replaces the blade. Crimson blood seeps from his wound.

His eyes glow a bright and blinding red as he leans in to Kitrina and begins painting runic patterns and characters along her chest, speaking in tongues as he works.

Her heart thunders in her chest as he paints his blood upon her body. So warm and sticky. Strange enough, she doesn't find the action gross but instead spiritual, sensuous.

Taking her face in both hands, Klarion stares into her eyes.

"Now the hard part." He says in a low and soothing tone. "I'm going to need your help."

He picks up the crystal pendant from before and places it down on the markings on her chest.

"Close your eyes."

She obeys and he places a finger upon her forehead, still wet with his blood.

"I need you to think of your nightmare. Recall that haunting memory." He instructs. "Find it and embrace it. Don't let it go. Think of how it plagues you, how it haunts your dreams. Do you have it?"

Screwing her eyes shut, she nods once more.

"Good."

Slowly, his finger begins to move down her forehead. Her mind feels obligated to follow the trail he makes along her skin.

"Don't lose that thought. Concentrate." He instructs further. "Recall the sensation. Your lungs burning as they fill with water. The fear. The pain. All of it. Bring it to the surface. Give it to me."

Her mind and the thought along with it continues to follow as Klarion's finger traces down her face, over the tip of her nose and the hills and valleys of her lips. He practically feels one with her soul as his single digit caresses her flesh, sliding down her neck and dipping just above her cleavage.

Never before has she felt anything so intimate as this. Not even sex can possibly compare. She can feel him in her mind, in her skin. The sound of his voice controls her every thought and action. Never before has she ever let anyone control her this way. And yet, as his finger reaches its intended destination, she's never felt so at peace, so light.

"Push all the negative energy out. Expel it from your mind and into the crystal vessel."

Again, she obeys. A single tear runs down her cheek as the dark energy is pulled from her chest. Her lips part ever so slightly. Her back arches and eyes squeeze shut. The sensation isn't painful but instead rather euphoric. Like he's reached inside her chest and has taken hold of her soul in the palm of his hand. Like a rush of energy. It's almost orgasmic. All her senses are on high alert. It's so hard to breathe.

"Now, open your eyes."

Opening her eyes, she finds Klarion sitting across the room from her in the chair by his desk. He waves his hand to greet her and she notices his already bandaged finger.

Sitting straight up in bed, she clutches her chest and finds herself wearing the tank top from before and a pitch-black crystal pendant now hanging from a chain around her neck.

"But how…" She stammers. Touching a hand to her forehead, she feels for any trace of his blood but finds none. "I was all bloody just a second ago and you were just… I don't understand."

Standing, Klarion stretches out his tired muscles and groans.

"You've been asleep for... mmmm... well about three hours now." He yawns as he approaches the bed. "Tends to happen to first timers."

"And you stayed the entire time?"

"Well... You ARE in MY bed." He snorts. "And besides, it was best I stayed to be certain you didn't relapse. I don't need you to go dying on me. You're a client now. What would that say about my good name!"

Leaning in to her, he admires the dark crystal around her neck.

"That was quite the dark dream." He hums with a grin. "It shouldn't be bothering you again. But if it does…" Tapping his finger against the crystal he continues. "It will get trapped in here like the others. Just be sure to wear it when you sleep. Call it a... dream catcher."

He folds his arms across his chest and sticks out his chin in a dignifiable fashion, with an air of authority. Or perhaps just to be a snob.

"So... Possible side effects. Brain hemorrhaging, eye discoloration, anemia, DEATH..." He laughs. "I'm KIDDING, of course. But seriously. The memory remains. That is something I can not take from you. Well... I CAN. But that would be much more... evasive. Anywho... The memory remains, but the harmful nightmares and ill feelings towards it do not. Aaaand there you have it."

He turns to leave but she grabs hold of his hand. His face softens as he looks to her for the answer.

Her eyes are large and pleading as she continues to hold his hand. She appears as if she wants to say something, but instead lets go of his hand and looks away.

With sad eyes, she clutches the pendant around her neck and forces a smile.

Klarion scratches the back of his head, eyes turned away.

"I... wouldn't mind if you stayed the night." He mumbles. "To make sure the pendant works properly, of course. I mean... You ARE already here, after all. No need to make the trek all the way back to your chamber."

Kitrina pulls her knees up to her chest. Turning the dark crystal over in her hand, she examines it closely, marveling at the dark swirling mass inside.

"I could feel you." She says quietly. "Inside me... I-I-In my mind, I mean."

"I promise I didn't go looking around, if that's what you're worried about."

"No. That's not it at all." She replies, her eyes meeting his.

Arms still folded, he tilts his head with a confused expression on his face.

"Why are you so good to me?" She asks so softly, eyes glassy and wide.

Klarion smiles, dropping his haughty demeanor. He takes a seat down on the bed beside her, placing an arm around her midsection to pull her in close. Sighing contently, she can't help but rest her head on his warm shoulder, allowing him to nuzzle in and dig his nose into her hair.

"Because..."

Whether he finishes his sentence or not, it's the last thing she hears before drifting back to sleep, content in his arms.

* * *

_**Don't know if there's any Supernatural fans out there. Busty Asian Beauties is Dean Winchester's favorite porno mag. Just throwing that out there as a bit of a nod! XD**_


	26. Chapter 25

**LOVE POTION NUMBER 9  
**

"I don't dance." Klarion replies simply.

"Don't dance?" Kitrina snorts. "Come on! EVERYONE dances, Klari."

Licking his forefinger, the witch boy turns the page to the book he's currently reading.

"Yes, but I find it hard to believe that EVERYONE tends to conjure up evil spirits when they do so."

Sighing loudly, Kitrina places her hands on her hips. Teekl stares up at the cat girl from his position on the couch, then shifts his glance back towards his master. The two of them have been going back and forth like this for quite some time now, neither of them willing to budge in the slightest.

"Pleeeeease?" Kitrina whines, throwing her head back like a tantruming child.

The witch boy sneers ever so slightly.

"Your under age." He points out, still reading from his book.

"So what?" She huffs. "So are you. And I don't see your point."

He flips another page.

"Your mortal laws don't apply to me, and besides, I can use my magic to obtain anything I want." Klarion replies in monotone. "You, on the other hand, cannot. You only want me to go so that I can procure drinks for you."

When he doesn't hear a reply, he figures he's won the argument. She gave up easier than he had initially thought. Perhaps a little _too_ easily. Sensing that it must finally be safe, he allows himself to glance up from his reading. He nearly jumps out of his seat when he finds she's standing right in front of him. How is it that she always moves so damned silently?

Taking hold of his book, Kitrina tosses it behind her shoulder. It lands on the coffee table with a loud thud. She then places her hands on top of the couch to either side of Klarion's head and leans into him. Like a cat stalking its prey, she stealthily climbs atop his lap. Her thighs surround him. Pushing out her chest, she flashes him a brilliant white smile and bats her eyelashes dangerously.

His jaw nearly falls right off its hinges.

"I don't NEED you to buy me drinks." She purrs breathily. Touching her dainty fingertip to the underside of his chin, she closes his mouth. "I do a damn good job of getting what I want on my own, thank you very much."

Blood returns to his brain, as does his senses. He doesn't much like being used.

"Why are you so adamant about me going?" Klarion asks skeptically, eyes set squarely on hers.

Shoulders slumping, Kitrina groans.

"Why do you have to be so difficult?" She whines. "Come on, Klari. A little fun ain't gonna kill ya."

His eyes narrow further on hers. He can tell she's hiding something.

She caves.

"Look… I just want to thank you for-"

"I already told you," Klarion interrupts, "you don-"

Placing her hand over his mouth shuts him up, though he continues glaring at her.

"Have to repay you…. I know." She says, finishing his sentence. "But I still want to. 'Kay? So, please? Let me? Please?"

He breathes a long, drawn-out sigh into her hand and rolls his eyes. With a nod, he gives in. Throwing her arms around him, she squeals in delight.

* * *

The dark nightclub reeks of sweat and sex with but a hint of tobacco and the ever lingering aroma of shame. Klarion breathes it in, trying not to choke on the acrid stench as he searches the room of writhing, grinding bodies. The thumping music flows through him, vibrating off the witch boy's bones. This dance club, as Kitrina had put it, reminds him more of one of the seven circles of Hell than a place of social gathering and merriment. It's an establishment of sin and hellfire, though the smallest kernel of it all somehow reminds him of home.

"Tell me again why we're here?" Klarion groans. "If you really wanted to repay me, shouldn't we at the very least be doing something that I want to do? Not what YOU want to do?"

She doesn't reply. Though her back is towards him, he can sense her rolling her eyes at him.

"I thought you said we were going out dancing." Klarion cringes further as he eyes a group of scantily clad women passing by. "Not to a brothel. Just look at the sea of roaming harlots..."

Turning to face him head on, Kitrina casts a dangerous look. One he knows well. It's the sort of look that indicates that the claws may come out at any given moment now. That he better back down lest he wishes to feel the fury of her fist again. The red-blooded male within him immediately tries to save face.

"N-Not that YOU look like a... I mean..." He quickly interjects. "You look... quite lovely tonight."

And she does.

Glossy lips and shiny, flowing hair. A tight black dress that shows off her curves oh so perfectly, complete with patent pink heels. And the cherry on top, his dark crystal sitting atop her plump, well-rounded breasts, snuggled in safely betwixt her cleavage. He had never meant for it to be a fashion accessory. She was only supposed to wear it as she slept, but has come to find she wears it at all hours of the day and night. She never takes it off. Not that he minds. He must admit, she wears it well.

He can't quite pinpoint the feeling it gives him. Pride, perhaps? The idea that she wears his gift to her so clearly around her neck for all to see. It's almost a symbol of ownership, like she belongs to him and wants all to take notice.

So dark and mysterious, her emerald eyes stare playfully up at him from behind a veil of smoky black eye makeup. He finds himself staring back and can't help but wonder if she had fashioned her eyes to look like his. Of course _he_ doesn't need cosmetics to achieve the same raccooned look. Still, he finds it intriguing.

With the tilt of the head, she smiles and takes hold of his hand. Together, they make their way deeper into the nightclub.

The music is so loud. Much louder than that house party she had taken him to. There's so much energy to the room, it's practically alive. So many bodies, so many auras and lights and sounds and scents and... It's dizzying. Add in the booze and it's sure to be downright intoxicating.

They find a nice dark and quiet booth at the back corner of the club. Klarion takes a seat on the plush vinyl and Kitrina scoots in beside him, just a bit closer than he's used to her sitting next to him. Crossing her legs, she leans in to him, practically draping herself along his arm.

A waitress stops by their booth, making Klarion a little bit more than curious as to how Kitrina plans on acquiring their drinks. Unless the girl has a fake ID, her whole sex-appeal schtick won't exactly work on this one. Perhaps they'll end up calling it a night earlier than he had thought. Then he can return to his reading.

"What would you like to drink?" Kitrina asks. "Anything you want. It's on me tonight, 'kay, Blue?"

He shrugs, completely at a loss, so she takes the initiative to order for him. The waitress asks for her identification, to which she gladly hands over. Klarion's eyes quickly glance to the side to take note of her ID. It's not a fake. Well, not a fake date of birth, at least. Just what is her game?

"Sorry miss, but this says your only sev..." The waitresses eyes grow wide. "Oh. Oh, I'm so sorry, miss Falcone. I'll get your drinks right away. On the house, of course."

With an anxious smile, the waitress returns Kitrina's ID and turns on her heels towards the bar. Happily, the cat girl returns the card to its rightful place between her tits. Feeling his heated glare upon her, Kitrina turns her head his way.

"What?" She nearly groans.

"Throwing your power around, are we?" Klarion asks. "Let me guess, this is your _uncle's_ club?"

"Yeah. So?"

"So?" Klarion replies surprised. "I'm beginning to get the idea you have a death wish."

"Death wish?" Kitrina laughs. "Just because I live like I'm dying, doesn't mean I actually WANT to die."

"I'm not convinced."

The woman returns with a tray full of goodies and quickly scampers away.

"Aww... You're worried. It's cute." Kitrina purrs, picking up a shotglass.

A bit of alcohol spills onto her fingers. Like a cat lapping cream from a saucer, her tongue glides across her pinky.

"I'm not worried. I'm being a realist." Klarion chides, eyes still on her.

"You're a witch! You deal with magic and fairies and dragons. I've SEEN you breathe FIRE!" Kitrina teases. "You don't GET to be a realist!"

Klarion sighs. He opens his mouth to retaliate, but she places the other shotglass in his hand.

"What is it?" He asks instead.

"Not beer." She replies. "It's dark rum. You'll like it. Promise."

Eyes dark and low, he continues to eye her.

"Try it." She returns.

With a sigh, he places the shotglass to his lips and shoots it back. The dark elixir coats his tongue and glides down his throat. Smooth and sweet, it burns the whole way down. She's certainly right about one thing, he does like it. It tastes like liquid candy. Makes his insides warm and his head spin like a top.

He places his glass back down on the table in front of them.

"Good, right?" Kitrina giggles, picking up the bottle the waitress had left for them. "Another?"

The cat girl sidles in closer, practically in his lap as she leans across to pour him another drink. He's not quite sure where to look, her ass sticking up in the air just ever so slightly or her voluptuous heaving breasts practically touching the tabletop. He gulps down hard, his eyes darting to the complete opposite end of the room, but ultimately finding their way back to her heart-shaped behind. Why must she always do that to him? Render him completely and utterly defenseless? Does she even know what she's doing? She must. She knows EXACTLY what she's doing.

Sitting upright, she takes the two glasses with her, one for her and one for him, and offers him back his drink. Again he indulges and again she refills his cup.

He feels like a god and she his humble servant girl. The way she dotes upon him, she never lets his cup run dry.

She places her crossed legs between his, cuddling in as close as humanly possible. Should she be any closer, they'd certainly be confused for a single being. Slipping off a shoe, her toe runs underneath his pant leg, rubbing up and down the side of his leg by his ankle.

The goofiest of grins crosses his lips. Though he's aware of it, he can't quite wipe it from his face. Aside from that sip of beer at the party and perhaps a few sneakings about in his adolescence, he's never quite drank like this before. He can feel his inhibitions slipping. His fingers feel tingly, as do his lips. He finds himself staring at Kitrina. He knows that she is talking, certainly she must, her lips are moving, but he can't for the life of him concentrate on what she's saying. All he can think of is how his numb lips would feel should he press them against hers.

His blood feels so warm, he can feel the dark elixir coursing through his veins. It's intoxicating, but not nearly as intoxicating as the young woman beside him. Her foot rubbing against him so rhythmically. Up and down. Up and down... The jiggle of her breasts as she giggles about something. The turn of her head. The pout of her lips. Those eyes... So alluring. And her scent... She smells different tonight. So heavily laced with pheromones, she exudes sex. It makes his heart race. His body sing. She places her hand on his lap, her fingers feeling his inner thigh just ever so slightly. He swears to whatever deity that may reign over this land that if her hand should move just a single inch to the left, he might just very well lose it.

The room spins more and more. Is it hot in here? How many drinks has he had? Six? Seven? Maybe less? Maybe more? He can't think straight. His mind races as fast as his heart, maybe faster.

"I want to fuck you so bad." He growls deep and low.

His heart seizes in his chest, making his body grow rigid and cold. He's shocked by what he's just said. That didn't sound like him at all. Why would he say such a thing? It just escaped him. He had no control.

"Hmm? What?" Kitrina returns with a look of confusion, asking him to repeat. "Sorry, I didn't catch that."

He thanks his lucky stars. Thanks the loud music. Thanks the dark. Thanks every power that be that she hadn't heard what he had blurted out so carelessly. Instant relief washes over him

"I-I-I said... I can't believe what... LUCK... we've had." Klarion stammers, this time speaking much louder for her to hear. "I mean, finding this booth... This establishment is certainly packed to the gills..."

She giggles sweetly and he smiles wide and with an air of debonair. Regardless of his outburst, he feels rather cool and confident on his smooth recovery.

Placing her hand on his chest, she pokes her fingers through the gaps between the buttons of his shirt to play with his chest. Her nose grazes against his cheek.

"So as I was saying..." She begins, obviously continuing from the one-way conversation she was having while he was off in la-la-land. "We gain access through the roof. From there we bypass security and make our way down into the bank. The vault is on the other side of th-"

"Wait." Klarion says in a gravely tone, cutting through her conversation once more. He instantly sobers. "Are you... going over a job?"

"Yeah? Don't tell me you JUST got that?"

Silent, his mind tries to piece together what exactly she had been saying while his mind was stuck elsewhere, which just so happened to be in the gutter. Had he agreed to something without even realizing it? That tricky little... The gears click into place.

"So... Wait." The witch boy begins. "You didn't REALLY take me out tonight to THANK me, did you? You're trying to get me to agree to work a job with you. AREN'T you?"

She gives him a bit of a shrug and an obviously guilty look.

"You got me drunk so that... that... YOU'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ME!" He nearly shouts, swatting her hand away from his chest.

Her grin grows to Cheshire proportions. Obviously, definitely, one hundred percent guilty as charged.

Holding up his glass, she offers him yet another drink.

"Another?" She purrs deviantly.

With dark eyes to burn her soul for all eternity, he angrily grabs the glass from out of her grasp and moves it towards his lips. He hates her. He hates her SO much. A growl escapes his lips as he slams back another shot of rum.

"So you in?" The cat girl asks with a flirty tilt of her head.

He grabs hold of the bottle, removing that from her hands as well. He places it to his lips with a sneer.

"Yes." The witch boy whines in return.

"Delightful." Kitrina purrs as she takes hold of his arm and rests her head into the crook of his neck, snuggling in to him as he tilts his head back and gulps down the remainder of their booze.

That sneaky little conniving tricky little minx...

But what did he expect really? She IS the Catwoman's protégé, after all. Perhaps a call in to the Batman is in order. Find out how HE deals with his own little feline infatuation problem. Perhaps a bit of pest control is in order.

"You know, you could have very welled just ASKED me like a normal human being, rather than going through all the trouble." Klarion growls.

Kitrina purrs, nuzzling her nose into his neck.

"That's the problem, Blue. I'm not just ANY normal human being." She replies in a playful tone. "And besides, you would have just said no. Like always. I had to butter you up first."

"You mean get me drunk." He corrects. "And I don't ALWAYS say no."

With deadpan eyes, she looks at him as if to say 'oh really'.

"So, Klarion?" She begins in a dry tone. "You wanna dance?"

He glares down at her, his nose scrunched in distaste.

"No."

Kitrina sighs, removing the emptied bottle from out of Klarion's grasp. She probably should have ordered a larger bottle or at the very least maybe something a little stronger. Hell, the night's still young and she aims to have fun. Lifting her hand, she calls the waitress back over.

"Told ya so." She purrs.


	27. Chapter 26

**_You asked for it and have waited long enough! Just a taste, I promise much more soon! _**  
**_The following is rated M for Mature. So if that's not your thing, please skip ahead, new chapter up soonish! You've been warned!_**

* * *

**THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT**

Feeling no pain, Klarion stumbles out of the club and promptly falls backwards onto his ass. Leaping from his master's shoulders, Teekl safely lands on all four paws and glares at the witch boy angrily.

Sitting in the cold, dank street, Klarion points a finger at his less-than-amused familiar and begins to laugh uncontrollably.

Before long, Kitrina stumbles out behind him and grabs hold of his arm, pulling him back up onto his two wobbly legs.

Together, they hold onto one another, arm in arm as they hobble down the alleyway towards home.

Time seems to pass in an instant, all of which is a blur. Neither can recall exactly how they got from here to there, but before either of them know it, they're home.

With the turn of a key, Kitrina unlocks the front door to their apartment and they both spill inside.

Kitrina squeals as Klarion falls to the ground once more, this time pulling her down with him. Teekl jumps onto the nearby couch and watches as the she lands in the witch boy's lap. The girl giggles and attempts to stand, but gravity takes hold and she plops back down in his lap once more.

Leaning against the back of the couch, Klarion rests his head as he wraps his arms around his Kitty.

"It's ok, we can share." The witch boy slurs, repeating what Kitrina had told him earlier while riding the more than crowded subway train on their way to the club. She had sat in his lap then too, he recalls. He had wrapped his arms around her tight, keeping her steady as the train twisted and turned around its rails. Enjoyed every bump along the ride, hoping she didn't take notice. He does the same thing now. His arms around her, holding her steady and secure as the room spins around them.

Too drunk and exhausted to protest, Kitrina lays back into Klarion's arms, resting her head in the crook of his neck. She can just faintly make out his soft pulse on her lips as she snuggles into him. He smells so good, she becomes lost in his scent. Breathing in deeply, a tuft of his raven-black hair tickles her nose. She giggles into his neck, sending a wash of goosebumps across his pale-blue skin.

"Kitty? Did you... Did you know your skin is really soft? Did you know that?"

"mmhmm..."

"And and you smell like... like strawberries?"

"mmm..."

Not paying any mind, Klarion begins stroking Kitrina's arm much like a cat. His lithe fingertips dance across her soft, warm skin, making her smile.

"I... I like that." She purrs into his neck. "Mmm...more."

Without any hesitation, Klarion removes Kitrina's light jacket and tosses it to the side. He seems more than eager to make her happy, to make her purr.

His hand begins to sweep up and down her upper arm, tickling her skin with each pass and making her hair stand on end. Hungrily, he watches as her skin begins to flush. He can't help but become just a little bit excited by her reaction to his touch.

Moving on to her shoulder, he softly traces little swirls with his index finger, eliciting a dreamy smile from her rosy lips. Gently, his fingers begin to creep up the side of her neck and underneath her chin. Her throat begins to rumble, mimicking a purr as he runs his fingers up and down her neck.

Again she moans for more and something within him stirs. That feeling he's gotten so many times before, though now he doesn't seem to have the inhibition to turn it off or stamp it out. That's the tricky thing about alcohol, after all. Liquid courage. That little voice in the back of his head that would normally inform him to stop has retired for the night. In its stead, such an animalistic obsession.

Knitting his eyebrows together, he gently drags his black nails down her throat, just barely touching her goose-fleshed skin. The excitement within him only grows stronger as his fingers dip into her cleavage. His eyes quickly dart towards her face, unsure whether or not to continue. His heart thunders anxiously in his chest.

Gulping down the knot forming in the back of his throat, Klarion slowly and cautiously glides his fingertips along the top of her dress. Biting his lip, he waits for her to protest as he softly cups her right breast. Instead she shocks him further by mewling in his ear and begging him for more.

Suddenly it feels as if the room is on fire. His pants become uncomfortably tight, making him shift in his seat. Kitrina scoots her backside up against his crotch, grinding against his quickly swelling need. He unzips the back of her dress.

The fact that she isn't wearing a bra beneath that paper-thin dress stirs the witch boy's blood, exciting him further. Her bare skin beckons him.

Starting at the small of her back, his hand feels its way around her rib cage and up the front of her dress, finding its way to her wonderous breasts. Her chest heaves as he gropes her, whimpering softly as he rolls a swollen nipple between his forefinger and thumb.

Straining her neck, she runs her tongue up the side of his neck and along his jaw, sending a jolt of electricity through his entire being. Finding his blackened lips, she begs entrance by softly pressing her mouth to his and nibbling on his lower lip. Readily, he allows her tongue inside his head and the two begin to dance.

Oh how he's missed the taste of her lips. Like toffee apples and rum. Sticky, sweet, and salty just the same. She tastes amazing. Simply amazing. Like at the party but so much more intoxicating this time around.

Perhaps he'd never quite come to understand why the people of Blue Rafters kiss with tongues, though he really must admit he's come to like it. So perverse yet interesting. So intimate. Warm and wet. Similar to the coupling of his people, they're entwined as one. Together, working as a single unit. Klarion's eyes flutter to the back of his skull as he becomes lost in her sweet taste, drunk on her offerings of pheromones and flesh.

Teekl was right. Her scent is like catnip. Irresistably alluring. She's like devil's food cake. So deviously dark and tempting, he'd die for just a taste. He craves her sweetness. He wants her. He wants so badly to hear her moan for him once more. To make her happy, to please her. To make her come.

With his right hand currently occupied with her breasts, his left hand takes on a mind of its own and leads a trail down towards her thighs.

A chill runs through her body and she shivers in his arms. Slowly, he drags his nails along her inner thigh, working his way inward towards her warmth. He knows he's hit the sweet spot when her breathing hitches in his ear.

Slowly he draws little circles along her slick panties, eliciting yet another yearning whimper from her swollen lips. Eagerly, he obeys and pushes the unwanted material aside. Her head lolls back as his fingers dive into her wet folds, imitating what he had seen on that wonderfully magical little internet machine just the night before.

Back and forth, she rocks in his lap as he pleasures her. Her mewling cries becoming louder and louder, almost feral, as he picks up speed.

Tangling her fingers in his hair, she calls out his name, again and again until her voice becomes raspy and hoarse. Her hand slithers down his slacks and firmly grabs his throbbing manhood, pumping him harder with every spasm of her body.

Retrieving his fingers, coated in her essence, he draws them to his lips. The hairs on the back of his neck stand at attention as his tongue takes in the taste of her sex. She tastes just as he remembers it. Like the day he had snuck inside her bedroom and went rummaging around through her things. Though revolted at first, he secretly found the taste quite arousing. How he's longed for it since.

Desperately, again she pleads for more, and again he shall not disappoint. With nothing more than a mere thought, he literally undresses both her and himself with his mind, leaving the two of them completely and utterly stripped bare.

So sure, he's never wanted anything as much as he wants her right now. Though want hardly describes it. His need for her goes well beyond such trivial wanting. He yearns, aches, craves, and needs her. No questions asked, he simply must have her. Now.

Grabbing hold of her warm, pink body, Klarion bends Kitrina forward and easily slides inside, passionately thrusting into her as she screams in pleasure.

Screams loud enough to wake the dead.

"Oh… my… God…" Kitrina giggles into her hand.

"…kitty…" Klarion moans as he groggily opens his eyes to find Kitrina standing over him, fully clothed and with a coffee mug in hand. "W-Wha… huh? I… But… We. You were… and we…"

"Woah there, Blue. One word at a time."

"My head…"

Holding his head in his hands, it becomes apparent that the screaming in the back of his mind is actually a tea kettle going off in the background somewhere. A far cry from the fiery shrieks of passion he had first imagined.

Klarion eyes Kitrina skeptically, hoping for some sort of explanation as to what transpired the night before. With a kind smile, she kneels down next to him on the hardwood floor and hands him her mug.

"It's called a hangover. Here, drink this. It'll help you feel better."

"What… happened last night?"

"You mean at the bar?"

"No… After. After we left."

That Cheshire-like smile of hers fills her lips.

"Wow… You really did black out, didn't you!" Kitrina laughs, much to Klarion's annoyance. "I practically had to drag your scrawny ass home. Good thing you're so damn light. As soon as we got inside the door, you fell down here next to the couch and refused to let me move you. Passed right out like a light! I threw a blanket on ya and figured you'd be fine until the morning. And… by the looks of things… maybe coffee was the wrong choice." The cat girl says as she takes the mug away. "There's no way you need any more of a pick-me-up."

Confused, Klarion stares up at her.

"Huh?"

Following Kitrina's eyes, Klarion quickly notices the rather large tent poking up from just beneath his thin blanket. Face beet-red, he throws the blanket over his head to hide himself as she laughs and walks away.

"Nice one, Blue. Don't think I'll ever question your _plumbing_ ever again." She giggles. "Maybe instead of coffee, I should have gotten you a bucket of ice instead."

From under the blanket, the witch boy groans. He's never been so mortified.

"Oh and Blue? Last night at the club? It took a little bit of extra buttering ya up, but... I really gotta thank you for the great time last night." A devilish grin stretches across her lips. Her tone turns mischievous. "Gotta say. You're one helluva dancer when you're piss drunk!"


	28. Chapter 27

_**He's been in the background since the very beginning. Always in mention and in the back of everyone's minds, now HERE HE IS! I give to you... THE BATMAN!**_

* * *

**FALLING AWAY WITH YOU**

First Bank of Gotham.

Midnight.

Two silent forms shift in the darkness, followed by the pitter-patter of four little paws. The moonlight casts a shadow, inky black across the marble walls as the little crooks make their way towards the large vault made of steel.

The big old thing looks menacing, almost cartoonish with its enormous steel bars and levers and whatnot. It's had quite the few adjustments and added security made over the years. No doubt after both numerous attempted and successful break-ins from Gotham's countless rogues.

Catgirl doesn't let the ghastly thing intimidate her. Turning a dial hidden inside the headset within the ears to her cowl amplifies the sound around her. All she need do is lend an ear to vault and hear it talk.

"I'm a street walking cheetah with a heart full of napalm." The cat costumed girl sings softly as she gets into position. "I'm a runaway son of the nuclear A-bomb..."

Duffle bag in hand, Klarion leans against the wall as Teekl plays lookout, scouting out any stray guards that they may not have had the pleasure of subduing. Kitrina rests her head against the cold, steel door and begins work, turning the dial this way and that as she listens to the gears whir within. The soft clicking of the dial reverberates through the vast, empty room as the numbers turn. Every now and then she'll sing a line from a song, a bit of a mantra as she concentrates. The witch boy zones out, eyes to the ceiling. Bored.

"I still don't understand why you couldn't just _zap_ us inside." Catgirl hums quietly from her awkward position pressed against the safe.

Klarion places the duffle bag on the floor, letting his arms hang lazily to his side as he glances down at the thief at work.

"I already told you," He begins, rather annoyed. "I cannot teleport to a location I have not already been. You wouldn't want us to get stuck in a wall, now would you?" His tone turns cheeky. "And besides, that would be cheating, would it not? Defeat the whole thrill of it for you, hmm?"

Kitrina smirks.

"You smarmy, blue bastard!" She wisecracks, playfully smacking him in the side.

Snickering, Klarion hops back to avoid the brunt of her strike before easing back to his leaning position against the wall.

"So what is the point of all this, anyway?" Klarion asks, dusting an invisible speck of dirt from his lapel. "Why dress up as a cat and steal things?"

Kitrina snorts.

"What's the point of _anything_? Why do we do anything at all?" She replies. "Because it's _fun_. And... Because I can."

Listening to the mechanicals of the safe, Catgirl can hear the tumblers fall into place. A grin stretches across her masked face.

"And because I'm damned good at it!" She finishes with a smirk. Standing upright, she grabs the empty duffle bag by Klarion's feet. "Come on, we're in."

Hands in his pockets, Klarion strolls inside the safe, following in the Catgirl's footsteps. He whistles as he does so, noting the stacks of cold hard cash.

"I still have yet to determine my involvement in all this." He sighs. "It would appear as if you hardly needed me at all."

Glancing over her shoulder, Catgirl shoots the witch boy a flirty little smile.

"I needed you to carry my bag, didn't I?"

Eyebrow raised, he watches as she begins stuffing the bag full of crisp green bills.

"Like you really NEEDED me for that." He tuts. "Do you always employ a tag-along?"

Catgirl sighs.

"Ok. So maybe NEEDED was a poor choice of words. Try... Wanted." She corrects. "And, no. I always work alone."

Klarion crosses his arms, staring down at her.

"So you WANTED me to come along to carry your bag?" He asks, still puzzled. "Why?"

Rolling her eyes, Catgirl stands to face him.

"Does there have to be a reason?"

He shrugs.

"You're completely hopeless, you know that?" She groans softly. Turning away from him, she bends to pick up the straps to the now completely filled bag. Her voice turns small. "I dunno... It's just... I know it's not your thing and all, but, well... It's my life. Y'know. And... Well... Maybe I just wanted to share it with you. I mean... Show you what it is I do at night and stuff. Where I go. This... This is who I am."

Klarion tilts his head, still unsure. He's completely missed the point.

"But I already know what you do at night. You didn't have to show me."

Groaning, Catgirl picks up the duffel and shoves it into Klarion's arms.

"Just carry this, okay?" She groans, storming out of the bank vault with an oblivious witch boy in tow.

* * *

Sitting atop the bank's roof, safe and out of sight, Catgirl and Klarion watch as squad cars blink into sight. Tiny red and blue lights screaming down the asphalt, coming ever closer. Kitrina grins and leans back into a much more relaxed pose, placing her cowled head on Klarion's shoulder, opposite Teekl's perch.

"Pretty." She whispers.

Klarion nods.

"Like noisy fireflies in a jar." He replies.

Pushing her goggles on top of her pointy eared head, Kitrina giggles at his strange observation.

She had set off the motion detector on purpose, tipping off the police to the burglary just for the fun of it. To watch them scramble.

Rising up and off her haunches, Catgirl inches towards the edge of the roof to watch as the boys in blue swarm the bank and file inside. Getting down on her hands and knees, she grins as she peers right over the edge. She knows all too well those foolish cops will never catch her.

Just then, a deep, dark shadow as black as the night itself spills across the rooftop. A chill fills the air, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. She knows this ominous feeling well. A shiver runs through her as the Batman lands directly behind.

Her Cheshire grin widens. Sometimes the thrill of the chase is more fun than the actual heist itself. She takes hold of the bag of loot that Klarion had been carrying. Jumping up, she spins around to greet him, blowing a kiss as she falls backwards off the roof.

Throwing back his cape, Batman reaches for his grappling hook, only to find it isn't there. With a sneer, he slowly turns his head towards the Catgirl's accomplice hidden deep in the shadows.

With a bit of a grin, Klarion hops up from his seat on the ground and pats the dust from his slacks. Teekl hurries over with Batman's device secured between his teeth.

The Dark Knight's eyebrow arches just ever so. He hadn't expected to meet up with the witch boy tonight, or any other night for that matter. One never does. In fact, the last time they had crossed paths was in New York City a couple years back. Klarion had been a great help in a case. Annoying, but helpful. The two of them have a history, dating back to when the witch before him truly was just a boy. An evil, sadistic brat of a boy, turned anti-hero, now neutral. He's grown so much since then. Last he heard, the boy had passed over a much coveted spot on the Teen Titans. So what could he possibly be doing here? And with Catgirl, no less.

Klarion bends forward to retrieve the fetched item, rolling it over in his hand to garner a closer look. With a smirk, he tosses it up in the air, over and over again, catching it like a toy ball.

A growl escapes Batman's lips as he holds a heavy, gloved hand forward.

"I don't have time for this, Klarion." He bellows in a gruff tone.

"One never does, I suppose." The witch boy tuts. "Tell me, have we met before? Or is this our _first_ adventure together? I have so much trouble remembering."

Batman narrows his eyes, casting an icy glare upon the blue-skinned young man. With a sigh, Klarion tosses the device back over to the Dark Knight.

"You could have said please." Klarion pouts, crossing his arms across his chest.

The slightest of smirks graces Batman's lips, if only for a moment.

"What are you doing here?" He asks rather candidly. "I thought you were going straight. Don't tell me you're wasting your talents on petty theft."

With a deep sigh, the witch boy rolls his eyes.

"It amuses her." Klarion replies as Teekl hops up onto his master's narrow shoulders, wrapping his tail around the witch boy's pale neck like a scarf.

"Who? Kitrina?"

Klarion nods, running his fingers through Teekl's fur. Batman's eyebrow arches just a little bit more.

"You're not trying to impress her, are you?" Batman asks. "You two aren't..."

Klarion's eyes fix on the Caped Crusader. His lips set in a scowl, sensing what the older man's implying.

"Friends?" Klarion interjects. "Yes."

The corner of his mouth twists up into a wicked smirk.

"And as her friend," The witch boy continues. "I find I must apologize in advance for what I must do. But I truly do believe I've left her waiting long enough."

Before Batman has a chance to react, Teekl lunges from Klarion's shoulders, claws outstretched towards the Dark Knight's face. Raising his hands to catch the feral animal gives Klarion just the time needed to teleport out of view and reappear immediately behind the Dark Knight. Grabbing hold of his long, flowing cape, Klarion jumps up and throws it over the Batman's pointy-eared head. Blinding him, if only momentarily. The perfect distraction for their getaway.

Sticking his tongue out in childish fashion, Klarion grabs hold of Teekl and begins running in the direction Catgirl had exited, leaping across the gap to the next rooftop.

No longer amused, Batman throws his cape back over his shoulder and begins his pursuit.

"Where were you?" Catgirl hisses as Klarion comes into view. "You sure took your sweet time."

"Miss me?" The witch boy asks in a sing-song tone. An arrogant grin stretches across his face as a rogue Batarang whizzes by their heads.

"Maybe now's not the best time to talk." Catgirl replies as she takes Klarion's hand and gives him a tug.

"Agreed." The witch boy replies.

The pair begin running with the Dark Knight hot on their heels, leaping from shoddy rooftop to rooftop. The sound of sirens wailing in the distance, car horns, and the crackle of gravel beneath their boots are the only sounds to be heard. That and the pounding of their hearts in their ears.

The pointed end of a grappling hook whirs past and connects with a nearby wall, giving Batman the upper hand as he jettisons himself through the air and plunges back down towards the rooftop below. Flying past, he knocks the witch boy down and out as he lands. His cape unfurls gloriously, waving in the nightly breeze as he stand between them, cutting them off from one another. Tall and dignified, he stands with an air of authority.

Catgirl takes a step backwards towards the edge of the roof. She's run out of real estate. It's the end of the line.

"Just hand over the money, Kitrina." Batman growls.

He takes a step forward and she inches further back. A pebble falls, kicked off the side of the roof by her boot. At well over a hundred floors up, it's a long way down.

"And then what?" She hisses. "You'll take me in? I don't think so."

The Batman sneers.

"Just return what you've stolen and I'll allow you to go home." He growls. "You'll answer to Selina come the morn-"

"SELINA?" Catgirl shouts, angered. "Are you serious? Why do you always treat me like... like a CHILD?"

"I'll stop treating you like a child when you stop acting like one."

With Teekl's coaxing, Klarion gets to his hands and knees. He can hear the two shouting about something or other, though his head is still so fuzzy from the blow, he can't quite make out exactly what either are saying. Sounds heated, though. Through blurry vision, he watches them verbally abuse one another. Something seems off, though he can't quite place his finger on it. Their auras.. It's all so hazy. Stars spinning all around him.

"Why are you doing this?" The Dark Knight growls.

"WHY? Why do you care?" Catgirl shouts back.

"If it's about the money..."

Catgirl snorts.

"It's NEVER been about the money, you ass. It can all BURN for all I care. In fact, y'know what?" She throws the duffel at Batman's chest. He never raises his arms to catch it, just lets it hit him dead on and fall to the ground. "Keep it! I don't care!"

"So what then, Kitrina? Why go through all the trouble?" He sneers. "The excitement? The attention? What?"

Klarion stares out across the rooftop, his eyes locking with Kitrina's as his vision finally returns. She stares right back at him, as if communicating to him through her eyes. It fills him with such fear. He can't quite explain it, but he knows exactly what she's thinking, what she's planning. And it's frightening. Still a bit dizzy, he slowly rises to his feet.

"You really wanna know?" Catgirl purrs ever so softly, her voice so small yet strong.

Removing her diamond tipped gloves, she lets them fall to the ground. Drops her whip to the ground as well, leaving her completely unarmed. Defenseless. Not a drop of fear graces her porcelain face as she lifts her hands above her head. Closing her eyes, she exhales slowly, and takes a step backwards off the roof.

Batman lunges forward, his hand outstretched as he attempts to catch her fall, all to no avail.

The wind takes her breath away. Even if she felt like screaming, it would be of little use. The velocity of her decent makes it impossible to do so. Still, she shows no fear as the gap between her and the sidewalk quickly closes in.

Before the Batman has a chance to follow, the witch boy rushes past. Acting on pure impulse, he sprints right to the edge and leaps into the air, arms and legs spread wide as he begins his free fall. Such a fool. So filled with visions, questions, wonder and excitement is he, that he never saw the cliff he was destined to fall over.

Tears stinging his eyes, he divebombs towards her, getting ever closer as they fall through the air. Teekl's claws dig into his neck. The poor thing. Surely he's screaming at him right about now, though the sound of the wind whooshing in his ears is more than deafening. He can't hear a thing apart from his own imminant death.

In his mind, he counts the windows to the buildings as they speed past, faster and faster counting down the floors towards the ground level until he's finally caught up to her. The rest is a blur, though he can clearly make out her eyes. She seems so surprised. He reaches out his hand and takes hold of hers, pulling her in close to his body. A barrel roll and he flips her over, swapping positions so that he's now closer to the earth rushing up to meet them. It's something that he had once seen her do. Back in that ill-fated restaurant. When the building was crumbling down around her, Kitrina had wrapped herself around that woman to protect her from the falling rubble. He couldn't understand it then. Why she would sacrifice herself so willingly for someone that she hardly knew. And although he still can't admit he quite understands the reasons why, he finds himself acting just the same. Leaping before ever looking. Without a second thought, he'd risk his life for hers.

"Gotcha." Klarion breathes as he cradles her body in his arms.

Kitrina braces for impact, but impact never comes. Instead, the world stops. They hang in the balance, literally frozen in the moment. And just in the nick of time.

Floating almost feels like swimming. The air is so thick around them, holding them in place. It's not at all what she'd imagined. Still, she's never felt safer. Here in his arms. Like nothing could possibly hurt her.

Slowly, Kitrina takes a peek over Klarion's shoulder to note the crowd of bystanders standing a mere twenty feet beneath them, gawking with wide eyes and open mouths as the pair hover mid-air above them. She glances upwards towards the sky to catch a glimpse of Batman, standing strong and authoritative, watching them as well.

"What took ya so long?" She asks with a shaky but sly grin.

With a swirl of red mist, the pair disappear like thieves in the night, teleporting out of sight, only to appear on a rooftop clear across town. He remembers this rooftop well. It's the same exact spot where they had first unknowingly met. The universe had crossed their paths here once before and has done so again.

Teekl hops down from Klarion's shoulders and peruses the scene, darting off into the shadows after imaginary mice. Klarion lowers Kitrina from his arms, easing her feet onto the ground until she's standing beside him. Her hand still in his, she's a bit shaky from not only the fall, but the teleporting as well. She looks as if she might throw up.

"That..." Kitrina begins, her voice a bit timid and shaken. "...was..."

Klarion grabs a better hold of her arm just in case she might faint. Instead, she rips her arm away and throws them towards the night sky.

"AWESOME!" Catgirl shouts to the stars above. Fists in the air, she screams to the heavens until her lungs hurt, letting the whole dark world know that she's alive.

She turns to face him, then suddenly throws her arms around his neck and pulls him in close. Balancing on her tippy toes, she quickly touches her lips to his. Her reaction both shocks and surprises him, though he welcomes it just the same. Her lips disconnect from his and she rests her head against him chest. Panting heavily, little puffs of steam escape her lips, floating up into the chilled air as she giggles.

"Are you... OK?" Klarion asks, unsure.

"YES!" Kitrina replies, excited. "I've never felt more alive! That was amazing! YOU'RE amazing! GOD! I... I... I..."

Taking hold of her arm once more, Klarion leads her to the edge of the roof to have a seat.

"Perhaps you best sit down." Klarion instructs. "Teleportation can have quite the adverse reaction on first timers."

"Yeah... I don't think my dinner's all too happy with me right now." She pants. "Shrimp scampi was a bad choice."

Kitrina sticks her head between her legs as they dangle off the edge. Klarion takes his place beside her, his hand resting soothingly on the small of her back as she inhales and exhales deeply.

"That was stupid. Reckless and stupid." Klarion scolds. "What were you thinking? You could have died! And for what?"

"Oh please." Kitrina groans. "Now you're sounding just like HIM."

Lips set in a straight line, Klarion stares out into the night, idly watching the lights twinkle and fade. He doesn't know whether he should be upset with her or not. Mad? Relieved? Happy? Angry? Elated? So many emotions. His blood is still so hopped up on adrenaline, it's hard to think straight. His head's still so fuzzy.

"How did you know I would catch you?" Klarion asks, calming his tone.

Peeking up at him, she smiles.

"I didn't." She replies rather simply. "I just knew you wouldn't let me fall."

Her smile widens. He's never seen her so exuberant. She's simply radiant. So full of life. Together they sit and stare out across the bustling cityscape, waiting for the calm of night to bring them down from their high.

"Promise me, you will never try anything like that ever again." Klarion says, wrapping his arm around her waist and giving her a squeeze. "Next time I just might let you fall."

* * *

_**A couple references in this chapter. Klarion was almost drafted into the Teen Titans in Teen Titans #66 & helped Batman on a case in NYC in Superman/Batman #83, which is also where the line "...Or is **__this_ our first adventure together? I have so much trouble remembering" came from!


	29. Chapter 28

**BIG BAD VOODOO DADDY**

He's still not quite sure why she had dragged him here. Such a grand soiree in ballroom fashion is hardly his cup of tea. He'd rather be sitting at home with his nose in a spell book. Though that's all he ever wants to do. Perhaps she's right. He should get out more often.

Dressed in a black tuxedo complete with long, pointed tails and red satin lining, Klarion hangs by the buffet table, a fly on the wall as he crams another tiny cream puff into his already swollen mouth. He's sure Teekl is around somewhere, scampering about, begging party-goers for scraps. Every now and again, he'll smell a new fragrant waft of perfume through that darn cat's nose. A particularly pungent scent invades his nostrils and Klarion can't help but sneeze. It would appear Teekl has found an old lady to assist him in pilfering some shrimp.

A waiter passes by, holding a silver tray full of goodies. Leaning in, Klarion quickly snags a stuffed mushroom as the man strolls away. He pops it between his lips and immediately balks at the taste. Hand covering his mouth, he searches the table for anything to spit it out into. With no such luck, he swallows down hard and grimaces. A group of young women saunter by, noses turned up at the sight of him.

Looking up from across the room, Klarion spies Kitrina amidst a flock of strapping young males. She's dressed in a long, flowing black dress, skin-tight and silken with the back low and exposed, showing off a vast canvas of her milky-white skin. For a mortal, she can be quite lovely at times. The other males at least seem to think so. Oh how they fawn over her. Lavishing her with little hors d'oeuvres and drink. Bowing and kissing her hand. All vying for her attention.

Klarion snorts. Their feeble advances make him sick. Maybe it's just the stuffed mushroom, but it leaves him with a terrible taste in his mouth.

With a polite wave, she exits the hoard, their eyes following lecherously as she leaves. Striding languidly along the floor, she makes her way across the room. Her hips swing like a pendulum, back and forth, making the satiny material to her dress sway. Like every other red-blooded male in the room, Klarion can't help but become hypnotized.

"Enjoying the party?" A deep, gravely baritone asks from directly behind.

The hairs on the back of Klarion's neck stand on end. Awoken from the spell she's cast upon him, he nearly chokes on the crackers he had forgotten he was nibbling on. He needn't even turn around to know exactly just who that particular voice belongs to. The man's aura alone tells him all he needs to know. He gulps down hard.

"But, of course." Klarion replies, turning on his heels to greet his host. "Hello, Mr. Wayne. What a pleasure it is to see you again."

Bruce stares at Klarion's extended hand for a moment, as if deeply contemplating something before returning the gesture and shaking the young man's hand. Klarion's lips pull tight across his face into a grimace as Bruce applies just a tad more pressure than he would have liked. He nearly crushes the poor witch boy's dainty hand.

With Klarion's hand still held tight in his monstrous grasp, Bruce pulls the boy close to whisper a growl in his ear.

"If you ever-" He begins.

"Mister Wayne!"

A feminine voice cuts in from behind, breaking up their little chat. Bruce releases his hold on Klarion's hand as Kitrina comes into view. She throws her arms around the older man's broad shoulders to give him a hug. Clutching his throbbing hand, Klarion stares at the two in confusion.

This is the first time he has ever laid witness to the two of them in the same place at the same time. Well... Not in costume, at least. And in proper lighting. And especially not with a concussion blurring his vision... He had known something was off about their auras up on that rooftop but couldn't quite put his finger on it. Now, as they are, seeing them standing beside one another... It all clicks into place.

Kitrina looks up at the older gentleman with real adoration in her eyes. He cups her chin and smiles.

"And how's my girl doing?" Bruce asks. "Staying out of trouble?"

She bats her eyes.

"You know me." She replies with a smirk. Remembering Klarion standing nearby, her eyes grow wide. "Oh! I haven't introduced you two yet. Klarion, this is Br-"

"WE'VE MET." Both Klarion and Bruce grumble in unison.

"Oh?" Kitrina asks, surprised.

Still rubbing his hand, the corners of Klarion's mouth turn up into a wicked grin.

"Bruce and I go way back." The witch boy begins, paying little mind to Bruce's glare from out of the corner of his eye. "In fact, just last week, we ran into each other at..."

"We met at an antiquities auction. Years ago." Bruce butts in, cutting Klarion off. "Didn't we, Klarion?"

"Of course, how silly of me." Klarion replies, his tone still a touch on the playful side. "I must have mistaken you for someone else when I said I saw you just last week. You just have one of those faces, I suppose."

Klarion pockets his hands and begins rocking back and forth on his heels. Bruce folds his arms across his chest.

"Kitrina, you look parched. Why don't you go fetch a drink. My treat." Bruce instructs, his eyes never leaving Klarion's, but instead boring a hole through the witch boy's head. Klarion glares right back at him, that mischievous little grin of his never faltering.

Kitrina's eyes dart between the two men, noting how they're so obviously staring each other down.

"Oh...kay."

Sensing the tension, she backs away slowly.

"She has no idea who you really are, does she?" Klarion asks once he's sure Kitrina's completely out of range.

"No, she hasn't a clue about me being..." Bruce clears his throat, his eyes glancing side to side. "As head of Batman Inc., she only knows I _fund_ the Batman. That's all. And I'd rather it stay that way, if you don't mind." Bruce replies in a deep, gruff voice. "I'm still not exactly thrilled at the fact that YOU know, either."

"It can't be helped. I read auras, remember?" Klarion sighs with a bit of a shrug. "You're an open book to me. One big, brooding, boring, open book."

The witch boy's eyes wander from Bruce's, following a trolley of treats rolling past.

"Not that it is any of my business, but why don't you just tell her? You know she is Catgirl, after all." Klarion asks. "Why the secrets?"

Bruce grunts, deeply annoyed.

"You're right. It's none of your business." He grumbles. "But since you brought it up, what were you two doing at the First Bank of Gotham last week?"

Klarion sighs, he doesn't much care for being interrogated by the Bat.

"Just having a bit of harmless fun."

"Harmless?" Bruce growls. "Kitrina could have died."

The witch boy snaps to attention. Eyes narrowed and low.

"It wouldn't have come to that." Klarion growls in return.

Bruce tilts his head upward, looking down at the tall boy from the tip of his nose.

"Oh? And how could you possibly be so sure?"

"Because I would never let any harm come to her." Klarion seethes, closing the gap between him and Bruce. He sticks his nose right in Bruce's face. "I would rip apart the very fabric of time, turn back the clock, do anything and everything in my power just to see she's safe. For that, you have my word."

Bruce cocks an eyebrow. The sureness of Klarion's tone has taken him aback.

"What would possess her to jump off the roof in the first place?" Bruce asks, placing emphasis on the word 'possess'. "Was she under your control?"

Klarion can't help but feel just a little bit offended.

"Not at all. I would never instruct her to do such a thing." Klarion denies with a sneer. "All she told me was that she had a gut feeling that I would not let her fall. It would seem that she has more faith in my abilities than I. Truth be told, I've never pulled off such a feat before. I had no idea I would even be capable of doing such a thing, catching someone's fall. There's just too many variables. Speed of descent. Wind factor. Weight... The tiniest slip up and it would have ended so very much differently." Klarion's face softens. "Still, she trusted me. I would not let her down."

Klarion takes a step back, a mischievous glint returning to his eye. His tone turns wicked.

"You do realize, you never answered my question. Not REALLY." The witch boy purrs with a smirk stretched wide across his face. "She has no idea who you REALLY are. And I'm NOT talking about the dark pajamas you tend to like to wear at night. I read auras... Remember?"

Bruce's eyes narrow and darken, squared straight at the grinning witch boy.

A slinky silhouette appears just behind. Much older than Kitrina, but just as femininely feline. She wraps her arms around Bruce's waist and snuggles her head onto his shoulder next to his.

"Are we playing nice?" Selina purrs in Bruce's ear.

He unfolds his arms from across his chest. Her voice alone relieves most of his tension. A small kiss to his lower jaw relieves the rest.

"Selina" She introduces, extending her hand. Klarion accepts, taking her hand in his and giving it a little peck as he takes a bow. Flattered, she purrs.

"I see now where Kitrina gets her rather good looks." Klarion purrs in a sly tone.

Although one cannot tell from her outwardly appearance, Selina's certainly taken off guard. Perhaps only visible to those who know her well. Hand still clasped in Klarion's, her skin turns cold as ice. With a feigned grin, she slips her hand away from his.

"And you must be... Klarion, is it?" She says, turning back on the charm as she changes the subject. "The roommate."

With that little word, Bruce tenses up again.

"Roommate?" He growls, eyeing Klarion.

"Oh, settle down, old man." Selina laughs, nudging him in the side. "It's not like they're sleeping together." She arches a well-groomed eyebrow playfully. The chance to catch that grinning boy off guard arises and she gladly accepts. "Unless..."

This only riles Bruce further. Klarion can practically see smoke rising from the old man's ears. The witch boy raises his hands in defense.

"No. No. It's nothing like that. I swear."

"Nothing like what?" Kitrina asks, rejoining the group.

Wine glass in hand, she takes a sip. Bruce reaches forward and snatches the glass from her lips.

"What?" She huffs. "You TOLD me to get a drink."

"I didn't mean THIS. You're underage." Bruce replies, handing the glass over to a busboy passing through. "Remind me to have a word with that bartender."

"You're absolutely no fun at all." Selina purrs, planting a kiss on Bruce's cheek. Returning her attention towards the youngsters, she asks, "So, tell me about yourself, Klarion. Where are you from?"

Klarion stands up straight, giving the woman his full attention as well as his best behavior.

"A place by the name of Limbo Town on the outskirts of slaughter swamp. Deep underground New York City and magically sealed off from the rest of the world." Klarion answers. "My people live and breathe magic. It is our livelihood. Our very way of life. We know not much else beyond our walls of magic and stone. So cold and dark. It's a simple existence, really. One filled with much boredom. It is why I had sought the surface. Your world is so... decadent. So wondrous and bright. Every little detail fills me with amazement."

"Surely there's got be more amazing places than Gotham?" Selina asks. He simply shakes his head.

"It is hard to explain." Klarion begins. "I have stood before your pyramids, witnessed the northern lights, swam Tahitian waters... But something about Gotham just feels like... home." He replies. "Time and time again, this city is always calling me back. Like there is something I have overlooked. And so I have decided to take up residence. Learn more about your city and the ways of your society. Kitrina has been helping me greatly in this endeavor. To which, I am grateful."

Bruce's glare never leaves Klarion. He seems to be surveying the boy for the slightest hint of deception.

"And how did you two become friends?" He asks in monotone.

"Funny story, actually." Kitrina begins. "You see-"

"She hit me." Klarion interrupts.

Hand to mouth, Bruce stifles a laugh. Hardly in line with his stoic character, but he can't help but find himself tickled at the thought of Kitrina holding her own against the almighty witch boy. Selina pats him on the shoulder, amused by his reaction.

"Don't act like you didn't deserve it." Kitrina defends. "Excuse my language, but you were such an _asshole_ when you first moved in. It wasn't until after I clocked ya that you started warming up."

Klarion shrugs.

"Perhaps." The witch boy sighs, touching his nose as if feeling phantom pains. "I still dont' think it warranted your act of violence upon my face, though."

Selina giggles into Bruce's chest as Kitrina kisses her fingertip and presses it against the top of Klarion's nose. With the tilt of her head, she mouths "I'm sorry." A slight hint of rouge touches the witch boy's cheeks and he smiles bashfully.

"Come on, big guy." Selina announces, patting Bruce's chest. "Let the kids play. Your big, moody mug is bringing down the joint."

She grabs hold of his large hands and begins to tug.

"And besides, you owe me a dance." She purrs seductively. Looking past Bruce's large form, she steals a glance at the younger pair as they walk away. "Now you two have fun while the night is young. Go dance!"

The group disperses. Each pair going their separate way.

With Selina in his arms, Bruce covertly stares across the room at the young pair. Klarion scratches the back of his head and stares up at the vaulted ceiling. He seems to be asking Kitrina something. He bows and takes her hand before leading her out towards the center of the dance floor.

"So, are you going to keep ignoring me, or do you feel like filling me in to why you're staring a hole through that poor boy's skull?" Selina asks. "What's bothering you, Bruce?"

Standing under the lavishly decorated gold and crystal chandelier, Klarion places his hand on the small of Kitrina's back while his other hand cups hers. Pale blue to milky white.

"I've known Klarion for a while now. He's self-centered, cunning, a liar and a cheat. A true master of deception." Bruce stops for a moment, as if thinking. "And annoying."

"So you think he's just playing Kitrina along?" Selina asks, concerned. "If he hurts her, I'll-"

"No." Bruce replies. "Quite the opposite."

Selina looks up at him, confused.

"Kitrina deliberately fell off a rooftop with no chance of landing safely. Before I had a chance to jump after her, Klarion caught her. Literally plucked her out of thin air with magic. Risked his own life by doing so too." Bruce recounts. "Just now, Klarion told me something. He said he would never let any harm come to her. And you know what? I actually believe him. He's the most deceiving person I've ever met, and for the first time, I actually believe him."

Staring into his face, Selina smiles.

"She makes him honest." She purrs. "A better man."

Bruce says nothing, just watches as the pair swirls around the dance floor in rhythm to the music the orchestra provides.

"Do you remember when we were that age? Well... Maybe just a couple years older than them?" Selina nuzzles her nose to Bruce's ear. "The late night chases across rooftops... You always there to _save_ me..."

"That's what I'm worried about."

The sound of porcelain shattering catches his attention, making him turn his head towards the direction of the noise. He spots a plump, orange tabby sitting atop the buffet table balancing on his hindquarters as he tries to lift himself into a large shrimp bowl. His back paw kicks over a crystal wineglass and it falls to the ground.

"Be right back."

With bat-like reflexes, Bruce dips forward to catch the glass before it becomes yet another casualty on the floor. He places it safely back down on the table. Teekl looks up at the man with big green eyes as he lifts the tabby up and off the table, placing him back down on the ground below. The cat's ears pull back, prepared to growl. Bruce raises a hand in surrender and lowers a plate filled with little, pink shrimp to the floor. With the tilt of his head, Teekl glances up at the man then back down at his peace-offering. He needn't a second thought before happily digging in.

Bruce kneels down to scratch the little cat's head as he eats, making him purr.

"I know you can hear me, Klarion. I want you to listen closely because I'm only going to say this once." Bruce speaks softly to the cat familiar. Teekl continues eating. "Thank you."

Teekl's big green eyes, so glossy and round, stare up at Bruce. His whiskers twitch as he licks his furry lips.

"Thank you for saving Kitrina. She can be wild and unruly at times, but she's a good girl at heart. And she's important to me." Bruce continues. "Watch after her. Keep her safe."

Bruce gets to his feet, looking down at the small cat looking up at him.

"I'm trusting you."

Selina walks over and links her arm with Bruce's.

"You do realize you're talking to a cat." She teases, staring down at the orange tabby. "Should I be jealous?"

With a debonair smile, Bruce spins around and grabs Selina by the waist. Taking hold of her hand firmly, he lowers her into a dip, literally sweeping her off her feet. Making her forget all about the cat. An instant subject changer.

"Well, someone's in a good mood." Selina says with a grin. "What's gotten into you?"

"I owe you a dance, don't I?" Bruce replies, placing her back on her high-heeled feet.

"Mmm... I changed my mind."

Letting go of Bruce's hand, she slowly begins to slink away.

"Oh?" Bruce asks, staring at her back.

"I don't feel like dancing anymore." She calls back, giving him a look from over her shoulder. "I'd rather take a tour."

"But you already know your way around the manor." Bruce replies, confused.

"I meant a tour of the bedroom."

Loosening his tie, Bruce follows in her footsteps, chasing after her.

"Me-ow." He says with a grin.

* * *

_**Nod to Batman: The Animated Series! In The Demon Within, Klarion is outbid by Bruce Wayne at an auction.**_

_**As for the chapter, can you guess what I'm implying? *evil grin* It's in my chapter title. It was, in my opinion, HEAVILY implied before the New 52 went and ruined everything. **_


	30. Chapter 29

**THE GIRL IN BLACK**

"I thought you said you didn't dance." Kitrina taunts in a sly tone.

His hands feel so sweaty against the smooth satin to her dress. Just why did he ask her to dance anyway?

"Nervous much?" She whispers low, leaning in closer.

He gulps down hard and grins.

"Perhaps a bit." He replies a tad shaky. "Everyone's staring. Bruce Wayne including."

Her eyes covertly stray to the side to catch Mr. Wayne glaring. And he's not the only one. So many eyes upon them. Some angered, others curious, most filled with disgust. One would think in the world in which they live, that things would be different by now. But there's still so much fear and hatred aimed towards metas. It's the fear of the unknown, some would say. The blue-blooded would never associate themselves with the blue-skinned. They're just from completely different worlds. Forget about race, they're entire _species_ apart. Such separate beings entirely.

And what would they know? To them, he's odd. But to her, he's wonderful. They know nothing about their time together. The nights he's held her and the laughs they've shared. The times he's helped her. The times he's saved her. How could they possibly know just by looking at his outward appearance just how kind and gentle and caring he can be? How funny and completely oblivious at times. How naive and amazing. How beautiful.

A bit of a blush touches her cheeks. She smirks and returns her attention to the blue young man currently pressed against her body.

"Screw 'em." She says with a grin.

Klarion can't help but grin along with her. She giggles into his chest and he swears it's like music to his ears. Screw the violins, the harp and the woodwinds. He's never heard anything so melodic and heavenly in his entire life. It warms his heart and puts him at ease. His nerves begin to settle.

"If you don't mind me asking, how are you acquainted with Mr. Wayne, anyhow?" Klarion asks, attempting to hide his true purposes for imposing such a question.

Kitrina shrugs and continues their waltz.

"He pays my tuition. Gave me the opportunity to go to that all girls boarding school upstate. Which I must admit... I wasn't too keen on being sent away in the first place, but... He's opened up a lot of doors for me. Who knows... I'd probably be on the streets or six feet under by now if it weren't for him. I guess I should be more thankful." She replies softly. "But then again, he's a stoolie for the Bat. Sometimes I wonder if he's just keeping tabs on me to report back to HIM. It's like he thinks he's my DAD or something. Like he can control me. And I DON'T like being controlled."

Her eyes roll to the side and she smiles.

"But he takes good care of Selina, so I guess I can't complain."

Mentally, it takes all of Klarion's willpower to button his lip. He wants so bad to tell her but knows it's not his place. It fills him with such an eager excitement. Like a child opening presents or waiting to yell SURPRISE at a party. To scream it at the top of his lungs. He knows something she doesn't know...

"And what's your relationship with Selina like?" Klarion asks further. "Are the two of you close?"

Kitrina raises an eyebrow.

"Yeah... Sure." She says skeptically. "Say, what's with all the questions?"

Klarion grins wide as if hiding a secret, then drops her into a dip.

"No reason." He says simply before changing the subject. "May I say, you dance very well."

With one hand secured against her back and the other hand clutching hers tightly, he holds her steady in place. Like that night at the bank, he keeps her from falling. Together, they achieve perfect balance.

"All thanks to Saint Mary's school for girls. Part of the curriculum to mold me into a fine little lady." Kitrina purrs from her somewhat horizontal position.

Klarion smiles wide, teasing and mischievous.

"And how did that work out?"

Kitrina feigns being offended.

"Are you claiming I'm not a LADY?" She asks with a glint in her eye.

Klarion laughs and pulls her up from the dip and back into his arms.

"A WOMAN, yes." He replies. "A lady... Well..."

He stifles a yelp as she steps on his foot, her stiletto heel digging into his big toe. She cozies in closer to purr in his ear.

"Careful there, Blue." She says with a playful growl. "Unless you'd rather your nose be BROKEN this time."

Again, Klarion laughs. This time more of a witchy maniacal cackle than his usual high-pitched snicker.

"Is that a threat?"

She smiles up at him, her eyes shining dangerously.

"mmm... That's a promise." She purrs, low and sultry.

The way she looks at him... His blood begins to pump just a little bit harder and faster. He can't for the life of him wipe this grin from his face.

"You do realize, that wouldn't work twice." He begins in a haughty tone. "Should you strike me again, I have no qualms with fighting back."

"Is that a fact?" Kitrina purrs, turned on at the thought of him getting physical with her. Her curiosity rises. "And if I DID hit you again... Just what would you DO to me?"

He can feel the tips of his ears warm and redden. Could she possibly be flirting with him? His grin turns devious, stretching ear to ear across his face. He rather likes it.

"If you WERE to hit me again and I was forced to fight back," Klarion begins with a bit of a rasp to his tone, "then I would have to turn you into a mouse and have Teekl swallow you up."

Kitrina laughs.

"You'd really make Teekl do your dirty work? I'm unimpressed _oh great and powerful sorcerer_." She teases. "Come on, you can do better."

"Fine." He replies, thinking hard. "If I really mustn't hold back... Then I'd boil your insides and turn your flesh into stone."

"HA! That's more like it!" She exclaims with glee. "But you know it would never come to that. I'd whip you around a bit before you even got a chance."

"Then I'd have to freeze you in place." Klarion retorts.

"And I'd claw out your eyes." Kitrina returns.

"Grind up your bones."

"Bite out your tongue."

"Turn you inside out."

"Slice and dice."

"Parallel world."

Kitrina looks up at him, her eyes shining wide and bright.

"You can do that?" She asks, amazed.

He shrugs nonchalantly and continues their dance.

"I don't like to brag," The witch boy replies smugly, "but it's no big deal."

Resting her head on his chest, she follows in his footsteps, twirling around the dance floor to the sound of violins weaving through the air. Her aura sings with content. He takes it in and lets the feeling consume him, sharing her emotions. Wrapping his arms around her, he's never felt so whole. He takes her in completely, embracing her body and soul. Resting his lips to the top of her head, he smiles, breathing in the scent of her honey-color hair.

Through Teekl's telepathic bond, Klarion can hear Bruce Wayne speaking to him directly. Asking something of the utmost importance. To take care of something that he holds so dear. Someone worth protecting. He doesn't even realize it, but he finds himself responding aloud.

"I will." Klarion breathes softly.

Kitrina looks upward, curious who he's talking to.

"What?" She asks. He smiles and tells her it's nothing, dismissing the topic completely.

Out of the corner of her eye, she can see Bruce Wayne leaving. Scampering off in pursuit of Selina. Kitrina lets out a sigh of relief.

"I thought they'd never leave." She exhales.

Something about the way she says it reminds him of an old nursery rhyme. He changes out the main players to fit the situation. He can't help but think, when the Bat's away, the Cats will play... He chuckles softly to himself. Now with Bruce Wayne's eyes no longer upon him, he finds it that much easier to unwind and relax.

Together, they waltz. He leads and she follows. Round and round the marble dance floor, beneath a grand chandelier of gold of quartz crystal. How in tune they are with one another. So perfectly aligned. A match in speed and tempo. They are as one. Right. Left. Right. One step forward. Two steps back.

"I like your suit." She hums in his ear. "The red lining really brings out your eyes."

She's playing with him, referring to when he becomes so absorbed in magic that it makes his eyes glow red. He used to hate it when she teased him, now finds himself enjoying every provoking little taunt and jab. His heart skips each and every time. Stomach aflutter and tight in the chest, it makes him smile. When did that change? He's even come to like her little nickname for him. Blue.

"I...like your dress." Klarion manages, trying his best to think of an appropriate response on the fly. "It is... um... very... silky?"

Stupid.

He instantly bites his tongue for saying something so droll and nonsensical.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

She doesn't seem to mind. In fact, she takes delight and giggles. Though he still feels somewhat embarrassed.

Hands at her waist, his fingertips find their way to her back, sneaking just over the border where the dress meets her skin. They dare to trace to the very edge, dangerously above her backside. She swoons at his touch, practically melting in his arms. The slightest of moans escapes her lips as she snuggles in ever closer, nuzzling her head against his chest. More of a kitten-esque mewl, really. So faint, but filled with so much pleasure. As little a sound as it might have been, it's enough to drown his head, making him feel fuzzy and tingly all over. Like each and every one of his cells, right down to the very last molecule is abuzz at her attention. It reminds him of his dream.

"You know..." She says out of nowhere. "They say you can tell how someone makes love by the way they dance. And I don't mean that drunken grinding you've so conveniently forgotten about at the club..."

Klarion looks down at the crown of her head, a bit taken aback by her words. Curiosity piqued, he just has to know.

"So... Then what's your prognosis?" He asks, feigning disinterest. He clears his throat. "And if you say that I'm rigid and uptight or even-"

Kitrina laughs into his chest.

"No. No. Not at all!" She giggles.

Her words become much more sincere. Her eyes warm and her voice fills with velvet.

"The sway of your body shows you're in sync with the music. Languid and flowing." She begins in a tone of voice he's never heard before. It's deep yet feminine and filled with allure. "Your strides are long and deep and you hold your partner tight and secure. You're a leader but you're more than giving. In fact, I'd say your rather passionate." Leaning in extra close, she whispers in his ear. More of a moan, really. Her lips graze the shell, sending pangs of electricity along his spine with every little word spoken. And she's sure to accentuate each and every last one. "A slow, deep and hard kinda guy." A teasing little smirk worms its way back onto her face. "And best of all, you have warm hands."

He can feel his cheeks flush red. His ego swells along with a very certain anatomical feature displayed prominently just below the belt. He hopes to high heaven she doesn't take notice, but the flash of danger in her eyes shows all too well she does. How could she not, with it poking her in the belly?

They've stopped dancing, though he can't be certain exactly for how long. She bites her lip playfully. He wants to bite it too. Lost deep within her eyes, he wants to do a great many things to her he had never thought before. She smiles at him and he knows he's done for.

"I know where Wayne keeps the champagne." She purrs. "What do you say we take this party to go."


	31. Chapter 30

**_The following chapter is brought to you by the letter M for MATURE_  
**

* * *

**BLOOD, SUGAR, SEX, MAGIC**

It started out like any other night.

A bottle of champagne.

Grand theft Maserati.

And a whole silver tray filled to the brim with those tiny little chocolate cream puff pastries Klarion couldn't quite get enough of.

All five-fingered and courtesy of Bruce Wayne, of course.

The witch boy had offered to teleport them back to their apartment, but Kitrina had thought the car would be more thrilling. And it was. Windows down. Stereo up. Zipping past traffic and through every red light. High on adrenaline and head swimming in champagne. It was only his second time ever inside an automobile before and the first time he'd ever even driven. Booze in hand, she took a swig and howled in laughter as Klarion "parked" the car on top of Wayne Enterprises, using his magic to teleport it to the roof.

Fast forward thirty-six minutes and seventeen seconds later, he now carries her bridal-style over the threshold to their apartment. The straps to her high-heeled shoes secured between his teeth, she giggles and clutches the now empty bottle to her chest as Klarion kicks open the front door with his wing-tipped shoe. He had tried reminding her that he couldn't just "zap" them inside due to all the concealment hexes and protection spells he'd cast upon their homestead, but she wouldn't listen. Instead opting to place the shoes that she'd removed earlier inside his mouth to keep him from talking again.

Teekl teeters on his master's shoulders, jumping to the armrest of the couch as the door violently swings open and the unlikely pair bound inside. Klarion slams the door closed with his heel and Kitrina lowers herself to the floor. She rips her shoes from the witch boy's mouth and hastily tosses them away. Something fragile shatters somewhere near, knocked to the ground by her careless throw. They pay it little mind.

More akin to her Catgirl persona, Kitrina forcefully shoves Klarion up against the door. His back thuds against the heavy oak hard and loud. She wraps her arms around his shoulders and lifts herself up to meet his lips. A growl escapes him as he hungrily accepts and engulfs her.

He snakes an arm around her waist, pulling her in so close and tight. His fingers dare to play around the same spot they had traversed earlier, finding their way to the soft skin at the small of her back. Palm flat against her back, his hand sneaks its way further down inside her dress, circling her round ass and grabbing hold. His chest rumbles further as his fingers sink into her flesh, pressing her pelvis so tightly against his to the point of nearly being painful.

Any and all want he has harbored for the opposite sex turns into a tumultuous need. So much pent-up aggression and frustration bubbles its way to the surface, taking hold of his already inebriated mind and pushing all logic and rational thought aside.

How quickly things escalate.

What started out as innocent enough, soon rages out of control like a blazing inferno. Hunger consumes him and the only way to douse the fire growing within is to smother himself in her embrace. His fingers tangle in her hair as his teeth gnash against hers. She doesn't protest, but instead gives in to him willingly. Just as hungry, her lips follow his, keeping up with his rather erratic pace.

There's hardly room for breathing as his lips consume hers, stealing her every breath and dirty, little whisper. He doesn't even taste her, but instead swallows her candy-coated tongue whole. Sticky, sweet alcohol lingers on both of their palates. It's more than intoxicating and only leaves him wanting more.

With closed eyes, she hardly notices as he teleports them across the apartment and into his bedroom. Though the sensation ties her stomach up in knots, it's not very different from the butterflies currently swarming inside. Falling backwards, they crash atop his bed. Her clawed hands grip the back of his head tightly as he lands on top and presses her into the mattress.

Aside from merging with Teekl to become the monstrous Horigal, Klarion has never felt so animalistic. So primal and raw. He wants to spread her wide open, divide her with his tongue and lap up her sweet nectar. He wants to make her howl at the moon in feverish ecstasy. He wants to make her his.

Another growl rises within him, starting in the depths of his belly and rumbling its way into his throat.

She nips at the soft flesh to his neck, working her way up to his supple earlobes where she glides her tongue along the shell, right up to the very tip of his pointy, elfin ears. He shivers slightly, aroused as her nimble fingers begin curling around one of his devilish cowlicks. Loosely gripping his raven hair, she gives it a slight tug, making him groan.

The room is getting hot, far too hot for comfort. Sitting up on his knees, he hastily removes his jacket and tosses it to the side. It's about the only breath of air he gets before she wraps her legs around his lower torso and grabs hold of his tie, pulling him back down into her waiting embrace.

His lips find hers once more and the battle begins anew.

They're like two feral cats in heat, wild and untamed. No cage could possibly contain their unbridled desire as they paw at each other feverishly.

He can't help but think how similar this situation is to the dream he'd had not too long ago, the last time he'd gotten drunk. Perhaps it was more of a divination than a dream, really. Or maybe Kitrina's right, maybe he really just needs to get laid.

Sex, in any of its forms, had never been so important to him until recently. Until he met her. Until she filled his head with her pheromone-like scent and his every thought with images of her perfection.

With his lips to her neck, he closes his eyes and imagines her naked, as he's done countless times before, time and time again when he's by himself and no one is looking. Of course he's never admitted it to her before. Hell… He's never even told his cat about his dirty thoughts and late night cravings. Though he's sure Teekl knows. That damn cat knows everything...

He roughly gropes her heaving chest, making her mewl and pant. Hand pressed firmly to her breast, he enjoys the weight and feel of it in his open palm. So pillowy soft and yet firm to the touch. Not even in his wildest dreams, they're like nothing he's ever felt before. What was it again she'd said? That she'd rather be torn apart by dogs than let him touch her tits... Remembering back makes him grin into their kiss. My how things have changed since then...

She bucks beneath him and he rocks his hips in reply. Biting her lip, he presses a sharp canine down into her already swollen and bruised skin and pulls back slightly, tugging on her soft flesh and making her moan.

Snaking her hand into the tight gap between their bodies, her lithe fingers trace down his boyish chest, following along the thin black trail of hair around his navel to steal its way into his pants. He moans between her lips as she begins work on his belt buckle.

She whispers in his ear something dirty about his "magic wand", but he's far too focused on the immense pain and pleasure of the moment to pay attention to her words. If only the room would stop spinning, then maybe he could concentrate. He wishes his mind wasn't so damn hazy and his hands weren't so damn clumsy. Fumbling with the zipper to her dress, he can't help but wonder who the hell invented such a damnable contraption. He's only a few seconds away from growing out his fingernails into great, big claws and tearing the blasted thing to shreds.

Throwing his belt aside, she unzips his pants and reaches inside.

He swears he can see stars.

His head swims as she firmly takes hold of his swollen manhood with her slender yet strong hand. He scrapes his teeth against the soft skin to her neck, groaning from her touch. He becomes putty in her hands, completely at her mercy as she works her hand up and down his length.

It feels so good. Way better than anything he has ever felt before. Better than chocolate or alcohol or the sweet taste of power. Better than anything magic could possibly conjure. And it only leaves him wanting more.

He wants to rut her like an animal. Make her scream. Make her beg. He wants to feel her soft insides as she cries and writhes beneath him.

He can't wait any longer.

The witch boy mutters something low beneath his breath, an incantation of sorts. Kitrina can barely make out the words, it's a language she's unfamiliar with, though she can tell by the outcome just what sort of spell he'd casted.

His bare skin presses against hers, not a scrap of clothing between them. So warm and soft, she feels like heaven beneath him. She smirks up at him teasingly.

"That's cheating." Kitrina purrs. "Takes all the fun out of stripping dow...ow ow owww OW! Stop that!"

His teeth to her flesh, he accidentally draws blood. Perhaps in the heat of the moment he's gotten just a little too carried away. Eyes wide, his mind instantly sobers. He'd never meant to hurt her. Face red, a string of apologies blurts from his lips. She giggles beneath him.

"It's ok. Really. Just... Not that I don't ENJOY getting mauled, but..." She laughs. "How bout we go a little less TIGER and maybe a little more KITTEN. Huh?"

He nods his head sheepishly, a bit embarrassed.

"Great. Now... You got any protection?"

With the tilt of his head, he looks down at her confused, like she's speaking in riddles or another language completely.

"Like a spell?" He asks unsure.

"More like a condom?" She giggles.

"OH! Oh right right right."

Red with further embarrassment, he hops up from the bed and begins rummaging around inside his knapsack.

"It's in here somewhere. I'm sure of it." Klarion replies hurriedly. "My Uncle Jason sat me down and gave it to me and... Well, you see he's not REALLY my Uncle. He's an immortal human man with a demon bound to his sou..." He notices she's staring out of the corner of his eye. "I'm rambling, aren't I... HERE IT IS!"

Spine straight, he stands to his full height as he turns around to face her. His mind goes blank. His jaw goes slack. The reality of the moment sinks in. There's a naked woman. Right there. On his bed. Right in front of him. And sure he's seen her naked before... But not like this. She's so, so, so, so... Beautiful. Though beautiful is hardly the word to describe her. In any language, there just isn't a word.

He catches himself vacantly staring and clears his throat.

"...right..."

Fingers shaking, he tears at the packaging. Head down and eyebrows knitted tight, trying to wrap his head around the blasted thing as he makes his way back towards the bed.

"I... I can hardly consider myself to be skilled in the art of lovemaking." He confesses, climbing on top of her. "I've never... Am I doing this correct?"

She hisses beneath him as he accidentally elbows her in the side. He apologizes yet again for his clumsiness and she grins into his flushed skin. She reaches up to cup his face with her hand and smiles warmly, trying her best to put his nerves to ease.

"Don't over think it. It's not about skill. It's about feeling. Do what feels good. Follow your instincts." She says softly. "Do you want me to start?"

He presses himself against her opening. His arms on either side of her wobble slightly.

"I can initiate." He replies, gulping down the knot in the back of his throat.

He finds himself so nervous. Scared and anxious, though incredibly excited. His mind is racing nearly as fast as his heart. He presses his lips to hers, so warm and full. Her scent dances in his head. Her pheromones begging him to take her. His tongue sweeps against hers and without a second thought, he plunges deep inside.

Her back arches beneath him as if in shock of the sudden sensation. Every nerve ending alert and buzzing with ecstasy. Her lips part and head rolls back, eyes screwed shut at the immediate pleasure of his entrance. As the two become one.

He's a bit jerky at first, unsure in his steps, but it doesn't take long before he finds the right pace. Her moans and mewls are all the praise he needs to know he's hit the sweet spot. She digs her nails into his back as he rutts her, slow and deep. Just as she'd said he would. Her analysis was spot on.

His hands sweep up and down her side, along her flawless skin. Black nails dragging across her milky thighs. Blue skin pressed against her soft, pink belly. Working in perfect unison, her hips rise to meet his. Both partners in perfect harmony.

He can't quite explain it, but he swears he can read her thoughts. Every whim and desire bubbling to the surface of his mind.

Faster. Harder. Right there. Don't stop.

He obeys her every command and in return she mewls her satisfaction.

It's as if he can feel her just underneath his skin, coursing through his veins like white, hot electricity. Hear her blood whooshing just behind his ears. Taste what she tastes. Feel what she feels. Every sensation, he lives and breathes with her. Like a joining of their souls.

Her heart beats in rhythm to his, just beside his own heart beating in his chest. He can feel his whole body thrumming in tune to her pulse. His red magic swirls within him, warming his skin like a tidal wave of prickly heat from his head down to his toes. He can practically feel it seeping through his pores, surrounding them as they feed from each other's flesh.

His lips locked with hers, he breathes her in. The oxygen they share is all either of them need to survive. It's intoxicating. Exhilarating. Placing his hands on either side of her face, he rests his forehead against hers and pants against her lips. She replies by moaning into his.

Her body tenses and he knows she's almost there. She wraps her legs around his waist and digs her heels into his spine. The muscles of her sex close in around him, becoming ever tighter around his fully engorged need. Her body warms. Her head falls back. The sensation is more than enough to make him lose control.

She calls out to her Lord over and over again and Klarion follows suit, balling his hand into a fist around the bed sheets as she twists beneath him. Together, their cries fill the room as they succumb to their rapture. After a moment, silence returns and he collapses atop her.

Exhausted and spent, he rests his head against her heaving bosom. His raven hair sticks to her glistening skin. She feels so warm beneath him. So right.

"Croatoan abide..." He pants heavily into her chest.

In a state of utter high and euphoria, he nuzzles his head into the crook of her neck much like a cat to its mate. Tongue gliding along her throat, he tastes of the salt to her skin. She purrs and rakes her fingers through his hair, scratching at the nape of his neck. His chest rumbles in reply, a bit proud and territorial and filled with such a happy sense of belonging.

"Was it... satisfactory?" He asks softly into her ear.

A blissful smile spreads across her face, cheeks red and eyes heavy with exhaustion. She moans her reply, basking in the after glow. Still secured inside her, he's yet to disconnect.

"That was... different." She whispers happily.

Safe and warm within his embrace, she closes her eyes and succumbs to peaceful slumber.

* * *

_**Was that satisfactory? :D ****Sorry getting this out so late. I just had to have it puuurrrrfect...  
Since the very beginning of this story I've gone back and forth about how this was gonna go down and it's changed several times in my head. Written and re-written. Were they, weren't they... When would this take place... What would happen when it did... I finally said just screw it! Stop over thinking it and get it up already! LOL Hope you all enjoyed. Reviews are love. So please please please review! Yummy drama soon to come! And for those of you who were too afraid to read this chapter, it's ok, you can open your eyes now! xoxo**_


	32. Chapter 31

**HOLD ME, THRILL ME, KISS ME, KILL ME**

He'd hardly slept a wink last night. After his high had subsided and the after glow had come to rest, he'd allowed himself to nod off with her beside him, though rest never could quite claim him. His mind became consumed with so many emotions. So much worry and fear and doubt. Angry that he had let the alcohol go to his head like that. Ashamed he'd lost control. Mortified at hurting her, though even further terrifying that he had coupled with her. Fear. So much fear and denial over that last bit.

He'd taken a human. Claimed her as his mate. Marked her as his own.

And she's his friend, no less.

How could he have been so stupid? He feels horrible. He'd used her for his own selfish needs. Carnal, depraved, wanton needs. And as wonderful as it had felt... and it WAS wonderful... so very VERY wonderful... he can't help but feel as if he's defiled her in some way. Tainted her. He's disgusted with himself. His stomach turns. It's making him sick.

He looks down at the top of her head, resting on his naked chest. Her honey hair spills across him, gathering in golden pools amongst his sea of blue. His temperament softens. His heart turns tender and fills with such sorrow.

Coupling is a ritual of sorts, a right of passage. An act upon his culture only meant for lovers. And they certainly aren't lovers. Something he's told himself over and over, again and again and again throughout the night.

This will not happen again.

Sex.

Cheap, hot, dirty, x-rated sex. Casual. No ties. No feelings. No repercussions. That's what they did and nothing more. Certainly not _coupling, _by any means. They didn't. They just couldn't.

There's no way.

No way that he could read her thoughts. No way that he could feel her presence in his mind and within his veins. No way that he can hold her in his heart. There's just no way. He denies it all. Even as she's lying there before him, he denies the fact that he can sense her dreaming and see within his mind's eye exactly what she is dreaming of.

Nothing will come of this. Nothing good at least.

They cannot mate. They cannot breed. They cannot marry. Their cultures won't allow it. Their people won't allow it. They wouldn't understand.

The two of them... They simply cannot be.

So why does that make his chest hurt so badly?

He doesn't love her. He just can't.

So he tells himself.

He can hear Teekl nearby. The little cat scratching at their bedroom door from the hallway, begging to be let in. Klarion turns to find the door to be shut and secure. At some point during their throws of passion, he must have closed it. Though he doesn't remember doing it, he is glad for the privacy. He's not quite sure he wants his familiar to see him in such a way.

Silently, Klarion eases out from beneath Kitrina, careful not to wake her. He touches his toes to the bedroom floor and rises to his feet. Staring at her restful form, he stands over her, pulling on his boxer shorts and the pair of trousers that he had cast upon the floor before he had so eagerly removed them.

Moaning softly, she snuggles in to the sheets as if trying to reclaim the warmth that his body had provided. She wraps her arms around his pillow, a poor substitute for his form. Klarion can't help but stand there in the soft darkness of his room and watch, still so very much enamored by her absolute beauty. So rosy and bright, her aura practically lights up his small bed. The faintest of smiles warms his face, then quickly turns into a frown.

His eyes glance over the love bite he had given her, slightly red around the edges and coated in dried blood. How could he have done something like that to her? It's like he had no control. She'd awoken a great beast within and it scares him. Makes his heart sink. He'd hurt her.

His mind shifts to thoughts of her father and his stomach becomes wrought with dread. If HE were to find out... Klarion knows all too well what wrath and vengeance that man is capable of. He could only imagine the fury of the entire Justice League cast down upon his sorry ass. Klarion had given his word that he'd protect her. What would the Bat do to him should he find out he'd spit upon his promise and crossed the line by copulating with her?

It's enough worry to make him sick.

Sick...

Klarion grabs his stomach, twisting and turning inside him something fierce.

The room begins to spin. He starts to hyperventilate. His skin warms over just before turning frigid cold. He shivers.

How many glasses of champagne had he had? And all those puff pastries on top of it... That awful stuffed mushroom...

Covering his mouth, he bounds for the door, knocking Teekl aside as he races towards the opposite end of the apartment.

* * *

Padding softly into the bathroom, Teekl comes to check in on his master hunched over the toilet, praying to the porcelain gods. The tabby sits down beside him and rubs his head against his back, trying to sooth the poor witch. Klarion lurches, spine arched as he dry heaves one last time.

"_Is everything alright, brother? Are you unwell?_" Teekl asks quietly. "_I heard noises coming from our room. Had you and miss Kitrina..._"

Teekl quiets, sensing his master's mood. He doesn't wish to provoke. Not this time. Especially over such a sensitive matter. One that has garnered many a fight between them. The subject of the cat girl is one to be approached with much care.

"_I am a witch boy no longer._" Klarion replies through their telepathic bond, rubbing the back of his hand across his lips. "_We..._" He doesn't finish his sentence.

The tabby perks up, tail wagging happily. Excited.

"_That's wondrous news!_" He meows. "_How happy I am for you bo-_"

"_Happy?_" Klarion asks bitterly, his voice muffled as he hangs his head over the toilet bowl. "_But of course you would be HAPPY._"

Sitting upright, Klarion glares at his familiar.

"_I HAD SEX WITH HER!_" Klarion shouts telepathically at Teekl.

"_Yes. And?_"

"_I wanted to do… horrible… things to her._" Klarion continues, clearly upset. "_I wanted to make love to her most… savagely. And she… She LET me. She let me HAVE her. She gave herself to me freely and I… I…_"

"_Was it really that bad?_"

With perplexed eyes, Klarion stares at his cat in shock and disgust.

"_I worry for you, brother. Every day, I fear it's getting worse._" Teekl sighs, disheartened. "_You're starting to remind me of myself on Valentine's night. By denying yourself the simple pleasures in life, you-_"

"_I'm NOT turning into a monster._" Klarion growls. "_And I'm NOT having this conversation with you._"

Teekl's ears droop. He's never seen his master so distraught. It pains him to see him this way.

"_Understand THIS, Teekl. People AREN'T like cats._" Klarion declares sharply, pointing an outstretched finger at his cat. "_I simply will not lie with just any female I spy. IF and WHEN I find the proper mate, THEN and only then shall I join with another. This was merely a lapse in judgement. Know that it WILL NOT happen again. We did NOT couple, we just... just..._"

"_But miss Kitrina-_"

"_Is NOT my mate. NOR my bride. No such bonding occurred between us._" Klarion interjects. "_She is my friend and nothing more. So I'll appreciate it if you STOP with this little obsession of yours for the two of us._"

"_I'm only trying to help._"

"_Your help is not needed, Teekl. I think I'll know when I meet my future bride._"

"_I somehow find that doubtful._"

Klarion's blood begins to boil.

"_I DON'T LOVE HER!_" He exclaims, enraged at his familiar. "_Okay? Get the point?_"

"_You don't need to shout._"

"_I truly do believe I must! How else am I going to get that through your thick little skull?_"

Teekl huffs, rolling his eyes. He's unamused with his master's little tantrum, letting his insults run right off his back. He's just about had all that he can manage.

"_Oh, I don't believe it is I who is the one in need of convincing. What is it you are so afraid of, brother? Why must you feel the need to feed yourself these lies?_" The familiar calmly returns. "_Yell at me all you like. Act as if it's all my doing. That it's my fault that you've slept with her. I still do not see the point in being so upset. Why you are in such denial to your true feelings?_"

"_Ah yes, because you care ever so greatly about my feelings._"

Both Teekl and Klarion's ears prick up to the sound of a knock at the bathroom door. Before he has a chance to respond, Kitrina steps inside, dressed in nothing more than Klarion's button-up dress shirt. Her bare, slender legs poke out from beneath.

Klarion groans and wraps his knees around the toilet. She's about the last person he wants to see right now.

Kneeling beside him, Kitrina takes a seat on the cold tile floor and hands Klarion a cup of herbal tea.

"It'll warm your stomach." She says softly as he timidly accepts the cup.

She rubs his back and he takes a sip.

"Y'know, you really shouldn't drink so much." Kitrina scolds motherly. A slight smirk crosses her lips. "You really make a lousy drunk."

Finishing his tea, he hands her back the cup and turns to face her. She tsks and combs her fingers through his hair, fixing him back up.

"Kitty?" Klarion groans, staring at the tile floor. "I'm sorry for the way I acted."

"What do you mean?" Her eyes follow his to the red spot on her neck. She smiles softly and lays her head down on his shoulder. "Klari, it's ok, really. You can make it up to me later, Tiger. Just... Maybe go a little easier on me next time, 'kay?"

His eyes shift to the side, away from Kitrina's smiling face. He can already sense his cat glaring angrily at him.

"That's... what I meant to speak to you about."

With a deep breath, Klarion steels his nerves and turns to face her.

"You see, I… I didn't mean to... Last night we..." Klarion tries to confess. "I mean, we were both fairly drunk and-"

Her heart sinks.

"You don't like me. Is that it?"

"Kitty… It's not that I don't like you. I like you just fine. It's just… What we did. It was a mistake."

She's not sure how to take his words. Uneasily, she removes her hand from his back.

"Please understand." Klarion pleads. "My people call it coupling for a reason. It's a bond between lovers. A connection between body and soul. A covenant, if you will. Like a vow." Klarion's eyes stare deeply into hers. His voice takes on a serious tone. "I can't make love to you again simply because our hearts do not belong together. We cannot merge as one. I don't love you... in that way."

Kitrina runs her fingers through her hair. She wasn't expecting his words to sting so much. She slowly rises to her feet, arms loosely wrapping around her midsection as if to give herself a hug. An attempt to comfort herself and keep her legs from shaking any worse than they already are. It's about the only thing she can do to keep herself from crying. Suddenly she feels so very much self-aware. It feels as if the ground has dropped out from under her. As if she's lost control. So that's what it feels to be broken hearted. It's not a feeling that she ever cares to feel again. Though right now she feels so numb, it's unlikely that she'll be feeling much of anything for quite a while. Stoic. She shuts down all emotion.

"Wow… Gotta say… That was definitely the NICEST way I've ever been turned down." She says, eyes shifting down and away. "Not that I've EVER been turned down before…"

Klarion quickly gets up from his seat, hand outstretched in a motion to hold her, to comfort her, but she shrinks away. It's as if the mere touch of him might burn her. Like he's poison. Hurt by the suddenness of her movements, he slowly retracts his hand and holds it to his chest.

"I'm sorry." Klarion replies in all honesty. "I wasn't thinking. And you're right. I hurt you. I hadn't meant to, but I cannot take back what I did."

He stares at the bite marks down her neck again and grimaces.

"It's fine. Really..." She replies with a small smile, touching her hand softly to her broken skin as if to hide it from his stare. She only wishes she could hide her entire being from his gaze so easily. She just wants to crawl under a rock and die. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it. You're a real animal, y'know."

He bows his head sheepishly, embarrassed.

"Look, I'd really appreciate it if we could just forget about what happened last night. Pretend as if nothing ever happened." Klarion says softly. "I mean… You're my best friend, Kitty. Well… beside Teekl, of course. And I just… I don't want to _lose_ you. I don't want to lose what we have. You're… very _important_ to me."

He remembers Teekl's words about her importance and wonders if this is, by chance, what he was speaking of.

Her eyes soften.

"You're very important to me too, Klari."

He holds out his hand for her to shake. Like the day they first introduced themselves to one another.

"Friends?" He asks.

She casts his hand aside and instead opts to wrap her arms around his shoulders, bringing him in to a loose hug.

"Friends." She replies.

Her warm body brings him comfort. Smiling bright, she giggles in his ear.

"Sheesh, Blue. You could really use a shower." She teases. "You reek of sex and puke. Not exactly the most attractive combination."

He chuckles and grins, still wrapped in her embrace. She's taken it much better than he had anticipated. And to think that he had worried himself so to the point of making himself sick...

"Duly noted." He smirks in return.

Breaking from their hug, she takes a step back to leave.

Deep down he knows that he has made the right decision, so why does it hurt his heart so badly to watch her go?

"Um, Kitty?"

He calls her name and she turns back to face him.

"Are you going to be ok?"

She smiles brightly and it makes his heart sink.

Fake. He knows her well enough to sense that. To know that she is faking.

Maybe to anyone else she'd appear to be just fine and happily normal, but to him he can see her pain. He needn't even gaze into her aura to tell that she is hiding from him. Her eyes alone give her true feelings away. The smile. The giggling. The hug. It's all just an act. She's pretending. Playing a role. Like she does every day to everyone else, but never with him. Never. She's never been anything but herself with him. The fact that she feels she must put up walls and guard herself around him now, it's in all honesty tearing him apart.

"Quite truthfully?" She asks, never breaking from her act. "I think I'm gonna go for a jog in the East End and hope a mugger comes my way and tries to jump me."

Klarion stares at her, trying to piece together what she's just said.

"I just feel like breaking something right about now." She replies honestly with a smirk and a shrug. "Preferably someone's face."

Somehow he knows deep down that it's HIS face she'd very much like to break right now. He can feel her animosity, her anger brooding just beneath her false bubblegum exterior. So violent. He knows now where she gets it from. It's terrifying at times just how much like her father she can be.

Hiding the pain, she laughs and rubs the back of her neck.

"Nah, I'll be fine." She continues, blowing it off. "I just gotta work out some of this aggression. No bigs. Right as rain and all that jazz. I'll uh... I'll just go take this off now." She says, implying his shirt that she's currently wearing. "I should... I should go."

Klarion watches as she leaves, her footsteps becoming quieter and quieter yet. He turns to resume his argument with Teekl, but notices that he too has left him.

They've all left him.

* * *

_** Yes... I'm evil! :D bwa hahahahahahaa... Guess you'll just have to keep reading to see what happens next! Please review! 3**_


	33. Chapter 32

**ANIMAL I HAVE BECOME**

She's been avoiding him for weeks now. Purposely going out of her way to stay out of his way. Even going so far as to cover up more around the house, as not to wear anything too revealing in his presence. He didn't even know she owned a proper pair of pants or a shirt that covers not only her shoulders, but her cleavage as well. Surely she's doing this to spite him. It has nothing to do with the falling temperature just outside their home. The seasons are changing and obviously so have they. When summer has come to pass, will they find their end as well? What started out as hot and heavy has since become so bitter and cold.

And it's driving him insane.

The more they try to make things less awkward between them, the more awkward things become. He rarely sees her. She's always out. They hardly even talk to one another anymore and if they do have something to say, they never look each other in the eye. How could they? After drunkenly mauling one another and copulating in his bed, how could he possibly ever look her in the eye again?

What's worse is she's now all he thinks of. Night and day. Although the nights are so much worse. He'll lie awake in the darkness of his room, unable to scour her from his mind. He's worn himself ragged. Tired. Thin. Always thinking about that face and those lips. Those eyes. That smile. Her hips and her breasts. What she wore that day. What she said. Her scent.

Dear heavens, that scent...

It's as if it sticks to everything she touches. The couch. Her jacket hanging by the door. He can even still smell it in his clothes and on his skin. In his bed sheets. The entire apartment. Everything smells of her pheromone-like scent. It's overwhelming. Bombarding his senses. Making it worse.

Today, in passing, he catches the subtle changes to her scent. Teekl was the first to notice, a cat's sense of smell is that much stronger, though Klarion picked it up right away. A spike of estrogen, indicating she's in estrus and is ready to receive a male. If she really were a cat, she'd be in heat and ready to mate. Using his familiar's little pink nose, the witch boy breathes her in deeply, making himself high off her captivating aroma. The little hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. His eyes glaze over. He can't quite explain it, but it excites him ferociously. He can concentrate on nothing else. It makes his skin crawl.

The impulses have been getting stronger lately too. Although he won't say it, he fears perhaps his little cat is right. The longer he holds out, the more animalistic he becomes. And it's only getting worse.

When Klarion denied his little cat love, Teekl lashed out. Tearing through Gotham and ripping out hearts. Klarion fears what will happen to himself now that he has denied himself the same. Will he too become a murderous beast? She's like an addiction and he's going through withdrawals. Every aspect of his being craves her. Needs her. Heaven forbid he doesn't get his next fix and God help anything or anyone that gets in his way.

Kitrina bends over to retrieve something from the fridge and Klarion finds himself staring.

He had to deny her his bed. He had to say no. It was the right thing to do. He's sure of it. She's his friend. He can't take advantage of her in that way again. It was wrong. A mistake. But now he's suffering. _They're_ suffering. Their relationship is a mess.

And he misses her.

He misses her laugh and her touch. The way her eyes shine when she watches him do such simple magic. He misses her sweet smile and the way she rambles on for hours talking about absolutely nothing at all.

He glances over at her neck. Though his mark upon her flesh has since healed over, he finds himself noticing something just as equally disturbing. She no longer wears his pendant, the dark crystal he had made for her to silence her nightmares, and finds himself wondering if they have since returned. Of course even if they have, it's obvious she wouldn't come to him for assistance. She wouldn't dare show weakness or even let him anywhere near her to help. He remembers how she used to sneak into his room in the middle of the night so that she may cuddle against him to ease her sleepless mind. How pure she felt within his arms. How good...

Now every good and pure thought of her has been replaced with such atrocities. He can think of nothing more than his unspeakable desires, both carnal and depraved. What he would do to her should he give in to her again. How he would make her scream, make her beg. Rutting her harder and harder and harder and harder and...

How long has she been staring at him?

He blinks and shakes his head.

How long has HE been staring at HER?

Glass of milk to her lips, she looks over at him with a furrowed brow. Worried. He'd been glaring at her with such predatory eyes, like a famished lion eyeing a big juicy steak. It's well beyond frightening.

"You... OK, Klarion?" She asks, genuine concern lacing her tone. The fact that she doesn't refer to him as 'Blue' only causes him further distress.

Knuckles white, Klarion dislodges his clawed hands from around the couch cushion. He hadn't realized he'd been squeezing it so hard.

"Fine." He grumbles.

She puts down the glass and makes her way over to where he's seated. He scoots over a bit as to not be so close to her as she takes a seat beside him.

"What's wrong?" She asks. "Why won't you talk to me?"

Her eyes stare deep into him, pleading. He looks at her darkly and grits his teeth tight.

How exactly does one put into words that he'd like nothing more than to tear out her jugular with his teeth?

"I said I'm fine." Klarion growls.

Getting up from his seat, he pushes past her, making his way towards his bedroom. Once inside, he slumps down on his bed. Elbows on his knees and his head in his hands.

Klarion peers up to find Kitrina standing in his doorway. He knew he should have shut his door. He runs his fingers through his raven black hair and groans. He already doesn't like where this is going.

"I do NOT feel like talking about it, Kitrina." Klarion warns.

She doesn't listen, but instead steps inside. Hands on her hips, she stops just a foot or two in front of where he's seated.

"Well maybe I do." She insists. "Look, you've been acting all weird since we-"

"NOTHING." Klarion cuts in with a threatening growl. "NOTHING happened between us."

Kitrina stands there in the middle of his bedroom, eyes set square on his. Lips thin, jaw tight. Silent. She rakes her fingers through her honey hair then turns to leave. Never saying another word. Not even giving him the benefit of an argument. Her quiet rage is even worse than had she yelled and screamed at him at all. Said something. Anything. Thrown her fists. Slammed a door. Called him names... Her silence exemplifies the fact that she has given up. She's through trying. Won't even humor him by going through the motions.

Teekl's quiet as well. He has been all this time, ever since that night. So drained and depressed, he merely lies there on the floor. Doesn't even bother to lift his head to watch her leave.

After a few tense silent moments, Klarion notices the ever so subtle sound of a window opening. Catgirl has stepped out for the night, yet again. A growl rumbles in his throat. Abruptly getting up from his bed, Klarion grabs hold of his jacket resting on the back of his desk chair and swings it over his shoulder with distinction.

"Come along Teekl. We're going out for the night."

* * *

_**Sorry for the short chapter, we're setting some stuff up! More soon xoxo**_


	34. Chapter 33

**STRAY CAT BLUES**

Leaning with his back against the bar, Klarion nibbles on the end of the stirrer to his drink.

Kitrina had once told him about this place in passing. She'd said it was the perfect place for the underground community to come and unwind. A place for the low and degenerate. The metahuman, superpowered, villainous, freaks. A place for mobsters and hoodlums. Henchmen and wenches alike. A place for people like him.

They don't ask for ID and don't dare look at you twice. He's pretty sure this is where she'd said she fences her stolen goods. Not that he plans on running into her again tonight, he just doesn't know where else to go. It's the first place to pop into his head. Like he was drawn to come here.

For the past hour, Klarion had been watching the other males in the establishment's courting efforts, taking note of their body language and speech in particular. The whole process is rather fascinating and a bit hysterical to watch. Quite truthfully, it's already making him feel better. One after the other, they all strike out.

A cute little vixen sidles in beside him at the bar and orders a drink. Dressed in a tight-fitting ultra short black dress, Klarion can't help but let his eyes wander. How well it forms to her curvy exterior. And the way she leans against the bar with her backside jutting out emphasises that just ever more so. The front of her dress is cut so low that should one be lucky enough, such as he, to stand at just the right angle, they could easily make out the frilly edges to her red, lacy bra. With a sideways glance, Klarion does just that, sneaking a peak at her cleavage as she plays with the straw to her drink, lifting it up and drawing the slender tubular object to her lips.

The young man sighs.

How easy it would be for him to cast upon her such a simple little love spell and take her home for the night. Have his way with her, make her do anything his twisted little imagination could conjure. Make her his slave. He could have her. He could have any girl he wanted. A whole harem of women to feed his burning hungering need for lustful flesh. And yet he wants nothing that any of them could offer. It just wouldn't be the same. She just doesn't thrill him like SHE does. With his eyes surveying her body up and down, he finds himself picking her apart. Noticing her flaws. Comparing her to HER. Pretty as the woman beside him might be, she certainly doesn't hold a candle to a certain other female currently occupying his mind.

Taking a sip of the rum and coke currently in his possession, he lets the liquidy amber concoction slide down his throat as he scans the crowded room. He licks his sweet-tainted lips, trying his best not to let his mind dwell upon the fact that he's wearing the clothes Kitrina had bought him, in the bar she'd recommended, drinking the brand of alcohol she'd introduced him to... His life and every action is practically devoted to her. He's completely at her mercy. And she isn't even here.

Slamming back the remainder of his drink, he removes his eyes from the room and turns to face the counter. The bartender refreshes his drink.

"Compliments of the guy down the bar." He says in a thick gruff Gotham accent.

Klarion eyes the drink with a raised brow before shifting his gaze to the left and down the bar. Spying an all too familiar face amongst the crowd, he can't help but groan. A boyish grin beams up at him from beneath a bright red hoodie. Hands in his pockets, the hooded man makes his way towards Klarion. It would appear a little birdie has decided to drop in and say hello.

"Witch Boy..." The hooded man greets.

Klarion clears his throat.

"Warlock." He corrects.

The young man tilts his head, eyebrow arched.

"Huh?"

Klarion turns to give him his full attention.

"It's _warlock_." He reiterates. "I go by Klarion the Warlock now. And to what do I owe the pleasure, Robin?"

The young man smirks and shifts his weight upon the bar, elbows to the counter as he leans in to order a drink.

"Not so loud, okay?" He jokes quietly so that only the warlock can hear. "Oh, and it's _Red_ Robin now."

The bartender begrudgingly hands Tim a glass of water, to which he thanks the man and turns back to face Klarion.

"So why the name change?" He asks, taking a sip. When the warlock doesn't reply, he asks again. "Klarion?"

Klarion folds his arms across his chest, running through his mind an easy way to dance around the question.

"It isn't a name change, per say. More of a change in status."

Red Robin bites in and doesn't let up.

"Fine then." He replies with a hint of a smirk. "Why the change in _status_?"

Klarion sighs, eyes to the ceiling. He can feel his ears redden at the thought.

"This... isn't going to be reported back to your... _employer_. Will it?"

This only excites Tim's brain further. The young detective's mind begins to spin in earnest, easily coming up with an answer on his own. One that would explain why the word 'boy' would be dropped from his title as well as why the young warlock wouldn't want said explanation getting back to Bruce Wayne. His eyes grow wide, only followed by his grin.

"YOU DIDN'T!" Tim exclaims. "HA! I KNEW IT!"

Klarion practically jumps to silence him.

"SHHH! Not so loud!"

Red Robin leans in extra close, huddling as to whisper low.

"So the two of you slept together? Are you two like an item or something?"

Klarion glares at the former Robin. He's known the guy for quite a while now. Ever since they teamed up to take down his fellow Croatoan, Uriah, and help return the captured familiars to their rightful owners, Klarion has come to see Tim as a trustworthy friend. Still, he serves the Bat. He's not quite sure how much to divulge out of fear for the safety of his nether regions. An area to which he's rather fond of.

"I... We... It was just the once. It will not happen again." Klarion mumbles a bit quickly, trying to avoid further interrogating. He readily starts a new conversation. "So what are you doing here, exactly? Isn't a place like this a bit beneath one such as yourself? Being a member of the Batman entourage and all..."

Tim's eyes shine brightly, still excitedly squared on Klarion's. He knows exactly what the warlock is attempting, trying his best to escape his questions. He's practically beaming inside.

"Just doing my job. Besides, the cape's at home. I'm flying incognito tonight." Tim quickly explains before returning to his original conversation. "Just the once, huh? Fear of commitment much?"

"Job?" Klarion asks, ignoring Tim's persistance. "What job?"

Tim nods his head, pointing his chin in a specific direction. Klarion follows with his eyes, beyond the throngs of teamsters to the dark corner of the bar. He quickly raises a hand to his face as to hide himself and begins mumbling a concealment spell beneath his breath.

"Of COURSE she'd be here..." He hisses, head down low but eyes still on the Catgirl in the corner.

"Don't worry. I scoped the place out earlier. We're in her blind spot." Tim reassures, nose in the air as he strains his neck to peer above the crowd. "You guys avoiding each other or something?"

Klarion doesn't respond, just silently observes.

Dressed in her skin-tight leather catsuit, Kitrina sits in the faraway booth, atop some unknown man's lap. He appears to be Russian, maybe Slavic. Big guy, muscular, lots of hair. Frightening looking but she doesn't seem afraid. She drapes herself across him, playing to his ego and treating him like a king. Several of what Klarion can only assume to be his bodyguards stand at the ready, obviously packing heat but not advertising it so noticeably. She casually plays with the zipperpull to her outfit, placing more attention to the fact that she isn't wearing much of anything beneath. Her zipper is pulled so far low, opening a rather wide view of her well-endowed chest. Every red-blooded male gathered around with a pair of balls to match not only seems to notice but take enjoyment in the fact as well. Big, dark and scary included as she leans in close, appearing to be whispering something in his ear.

Klarion's eyes narrow on the group, unable to turn away. She wears the grin of a cat who ate the canary, wide and maniacal, in fact her teeth are still clamped tight around the poor thing's neck. Though small in the big man's lap, overshadowed by his massive presence, it's amazing how powerful she looks right now. Menacing. She's the one in control. He's never seen her this way.

"Arms dealer. The big kind that like to go '_boom_'." Tim pipes up to capture Klarion's attention.

"And what's she want with him... Assuming she wants something."

"Dunno... That's what I'm here to find out."

"You've been following her?"

"Yup. For some time now too."

"SOME TIME?" Klarion asks, not liking Tim's choice of words. "How long, exactly?"

The hooded young man doesn't respond, just tilts his head up nobly, staring down Klarion from the tip of his nose. Though he's turned towards him, his eyes find themselves to be fixed upon the transaction taking place in the corner. His authoritative silence only aggravates Klarion. It's obvious that he hasn't been authorized to speak so freely.

"How LONG?" Klarion repeats, practically in a growl.

Tim rolls his eyes and sighs, his body swaying heavily with the action. He much prefers being the one asking the questions, not the other way around.

"Since she came back to Gotham." He reluctantly divulges, taking a sip of his water. "It's not really spying... Our orders are more or less-"

"OUR?" Klarion cuts in, again picking apart Tim's words. "Who else is following her around?"

Tim pockets his hands and rolls his shoulders.

"All of us. When we can... In shifts. It's not like we're all ganging up on her or anything. And we don't report back about every little thing she does. It's not like that. Within reason, my _EMPLOYER_ doesn't care what she's up to as long as she's safe. Like I was saying... Our orders are simply to follow her and keep an eye out. Make sure she doesn't get hurt. Think of us like... ninja bodyguards. We stick to the shadows and haven't intervened...yet."

Tim shrugs and sighs while Klarion continues to glare. His tone of voice turns softer.

"He cares about her... which I have my theories about_ WHY_... But he doesn't know how to show it. She's a soft spot for him and he doesn't have many. He just wants to make sure she's kept safe."

Klarion takes another sip of his rum and hisses at the burn.

"Sounds just about like the same thing he's asked of me."

Tim grins.

"Means he trusts you. Feel free to let it go to your head. The guy doesn't trust much."

"But he doesn't trust HER." Klarion replies, indicating Kitrina.

"With good reason." Tim returns. "Buuut... I don't think it's so much he doesn't _trust_ her. He's just... protective."

"OVER-protective."

"Can you blame him?" Tim snorts. "Girl's got a penchant for trouble. She practically breathes sex and violence. But that's cat-women for ya. They're a dangerous breed of women. Thieves by nature, they'll steal your heart just as fast as they can steal your wallet. And trust me, they WILL take both."

Tim continues talking, but Klarion's not paying attention. He nods his head and sips from his drink, but his mind wanders elsewhere, watching through Teekl's eyes as Kitrina wraps her arms around the unknown male's shoulders.

Teekl growls and it takes everything in the warlock's powers not to growl along with him.

Klarion's eyes narrow, the edges of his corneas beginning to burn red. He grips his drink tight. White-knuckled, it's amazing the glass tumbler doesn't shatter within his grasp.

With a kiss on the cheek, she stands to leave and waves goodbye, heading towards the exit.

"_Go keep an eye on her._" Klarion directs his cat telepathically. "_Make sure she makes it home alright._"

Teekl doesn't need to be told twice. Hopping down from his master's shoulders, the tabby scurries towards the door after her.

"Helloooo... Are you even listening to m- Hey... Where's Teekl run off to?" Tim asks with a puzzled face. When Klarion doesn't respond, he grins knowingly. "Now who's over-protective?"

Rolling his eyes with a groan, Klarion turns back towards the bar and takes another drink. Tim follows suit, leaning against the bar with him.

"So... Going back to our conversation earlier..." Tim practically hums with glee. "You know... About the two of you sleeping together?"

Klarion doesn't let Red Robin's persistence get to him. His mind is still occupied elsewhere.

"What would Kitrina need with an arms dealer?" He half mumbles to himself.

"My guess?" Tim answers even though Klarion wasn't asking. "To start a war?"

"With who?"

Tim shrugs.

"Take your pick. Half the city wants her dead or worse. Price on her head keeps rising."

"Why?"

"She hasn't told you anything?"

"We hardly talk anymore."

Tim sighs.

"Well, for starters... You know that bank you guys hit? It was a mob bank. And three guesses whose... She's really making a target of herself. Pissing people off. The worst kind too..."

Klarion chomps down on his stirrer something fierce, grinding it between his back molars. Elbows to the bar, his shoulders hunch himself forward, reminiscent to a bony pterodactyl. Large and brooding. He's silent. His mind mulling over everything he's just encountered. He takes a heavy sip.

"You're so totally in love with her, huh?" Tim cuts in out of left field.

It's more of a statement than a question. Though in either case, it completely throws the warlock off his train of thought. His eyes grow wide. His mind goes blank. He nearly sprays his drink across the bar. Instead, he gulps it down hard and finds himself coughing and choking, sputtering and causing an all out scene as he tries to regain himself.

"I most certainly am NOT!" The warlock shrieks. "WHY would you think such a thing!?"

Tim scoffs and rolls his eyes. Turning his head towards the warlock, he gives him a look that easily reads 'you're not fooling me'.

"Dude..." He boasts arrogantly. "Come on. It doesn't take a genius like me or anything to figure it out. It's so obvious."

"Right. Because you've been following us around."

"Man, you make it seem like I'm peeking in through your bedroom windows. It's not like that. But yeah... I've seen you two around." Tim continues. "So what happened? You guys seemed so happy."

Klarion runs the back of his hand across his lips and chin, wiping away whatever dribbles of his drink might have escaped during his outburst. He fixes his tie.

"Really. What you're implying is simply absurd. I mean…" He's talking so fast, he can hardly catch his breath. With every word, he feels his cheeks grow hotter yet. His hands wave around frantically in the air as he does so. "Ok… Fine. MAYBE I think about her in… a less than pure light… at times… BUT that DOESN'T mean I LOVE her. It's nothing more than hormones. I believe that's what you call it. It's meaningless want. Nothing more. She's my friend... Her and I... We..."

Klarion stops. Panting heavily, he watches as Tim stares at him quietly with a tilted head.

"Who are you trying to convince?" The former Robin finally asks. "Me? Or..." With an apathetic movement of his hand, he gestures towards Klarion.

The warlock groans loudly, growing further annoyed. Tim raises his eyebrows in a cocky manner, looking down at his glass of water on the counter.

"Sheesh... No wonder she's been so grouchy lately." Tim begins in a haughty tone. "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned..."

Klarion snorts and eyes his drink.

"Scorned? Hardly." He scoffs. "There must first be interest and desire on her part in order for any... _scorning_ to occur."

Tim tilts his head just ever so slightly as if to lend Klarion his ear. He remains silent, eagerly awaiting the warlock to dish. It would appear the former witch boy is finally opening up on the subject, even if he doesn't realize it or want to.

"I mean, it's not like I'm her _type_. I know for a fact she much prefers a _manlier_ sort of fellow. One with brawn and might and less... well... someone like me." He lifts up his glass to eye level, staring deeply at the concoction. "Face it. She'd have never conjugated with me had she not been drunk."

Klarion becomes lost in his drink, staring deeply into the elixir, obviously feeling sorry for himself.

"So you DO like her." Tim surmises with a grin. "You've just convinced yourself otherwise because you think it's pointless to try."

The warlock sighs heavily, eyes tired and narrowed on the young hooded man. He's given up trying to argue with him. Tim is obviously going to say whatever he likes so best to just sit there and take it. Still, he scowls.

"Have you even tried telling her how you feel?"

"I told her I didn't love her."

Tim stares at the warlock with wide eyes, his features completely deadpan. Shocked. He pushes his water glass away to indicate he's done. Fixing his hood and shoving his hands in his pockets, he prepares to leave.

"You're an idiot, you know that?"

"Oh and why's that?" Klarion replies snidely, not liking being called names.

"Because you're so head over heels for her it's crazy!" Tim shouts. "Seriously, man! Why is it so obvious to everyone else but you? You have to be insane!"

Tim gets up close, finger to Klarion's chest.

"You say you know for a fact... Well I know for a fact you're wrong." He continues. "Call it an occupational hazard, but I happen to know a thing or two about Cat-women. Took the big guy ten years to figure it out, and don't tell him I told you, but the best way to go about things when _they're_ concerned is to just let loose. Be honest. No lies. No deception. Just tell her how you feel. Trust me. Out of anything she could possibly think to steal, all she really wants is the truth. But first you gotta be honest with yourself."

Tim's eyes grow vacant and find themselves shifting off to the side. A message must be coming in on the communicator built into his ear. New orders.

"Well, that's my cue. Best of luck to you, man. And seriously, take my advice, okay?" He pats Klarion on the shoulder and lends him a confident grin. "Gotta fly."

* * *

_**Reference: Robin helps Klarion take down Uriah and the great Judgement Beast in issues Robin #157-158**_


	35. Chapter 34

**ADVANCE OF THE FOOL**

Dressed in nothing more than a towel wrapped around his waist, Klarion walks up to the full-length mirror posted on the back of the bathroom door and wipes the steam of his shower away with the palm of his hand.

With his chin in his hand, he stares intently at his reflection, angling his head from left to right as he looks himself over. He crooks an eyebrow and flashes a dashing smile.

Raising his hands above his head, he strikes a body builder pose and flexes his lean, nearly non-existant muscles. His smile fades and he drops his arms down at his side. Displeased, he stares at his reflection and his reflection stares back with the same brooding scowl.

Who is he kidding? Tall, thin, and pale. Black and blue. Bleak. That would be the best way to describe himself. With such imp-like features, he's rather elegant looking. Certainly more boyish than man.

He looks at his slender frame, his smooth and hairless chest, his narrow waist and that thin black trail leading down towards his nether regions. His body is much more adept for a battle of wits rather than fists. Hardly the kind of strapping, muscle-bound barbarian that a woman such as Kitrina tends to take interest in. A man with strong hands.

With a sigh, he turns to the cat lounging quietly on the bathroom floor. The tabby had followed him in when he'd heard his master return home.

"Teekl?" Klarion asks sincerely. "Am I attractive?"

Awakening from his catnap, Teekl cracks open an eye but remains silent. With a snort, the lazy cat closes his eyes once more and falls back to sleep.

"Gee… Thanks." Klarion groans as he drops his towel and reaches for his pajama pants.

Running his fingers through his damp hair, he shakes away the excess water. Not bothering to comb the unruly mess of cowlicks and curls, just letting it air dry. He opens the bathroom door, letting the steam escape in a hiss, and steps out into the darkened apartment. His bare feet pad along the wooden floor quietly, Teekl scampering not too far behind.

Coming up to Kitrina's chamber, he slowly stops in his tracks, coming to a halt just outside her closed bedroom door. He stands there for a moment as if pondering something. Teekl tilts his head, curious. Silently observing his warlock brother. Klarion raises his hand as if to knock, letting it hover just mere centimeters from the door's surface. His face is contemplative. His brow knitted tight and eyes to the floor. Then he closes his eyelids and sighs, removes his hand and lets his arm drop to his side. Turning on his heels, he quietly retreats towards his bedroom.

He doesn't even bother flipping on the light switch as he makes his way into his room and towards his bed, head hanging low. With a disheartened look, he drags his feet along the floor and flops, face first, down onto his bed.

"_Rough night?_" Teekl asks as he hops up onto the mattress. It's the first thing the cat has said to him all night. Hell... Days even. _"I take it your time at the bar didn't bode well?"_

A muffled groan is all Klarion's response as he reaches for his pillow and grips it over his head.

Teekl eyes his master inquisitively. He certainly doesn't like seeing his friend in such distress, though the way that he's been acting lately, he really shouldn't care less. Still, the familiar is bound to him. No matter how mad he gets, he still's his brother and friend. Cautiously, Teekl trots closer and rubs his head into Klarion's hair in an attempt to lift his spirits. The overwhelming scent of Kitrina's shampoo makes the cat's whiskers twitch. He hadn't realized his master had been using the young lady's toiletries. Perhaps he misses the smell of her, though Teekl's learned better than to bring such things up.

Violently turning over in bed, Klarion shoves the pillow behind his head and stares blankly at the ceiling above. Teekl hops onto his chest and takes a seat. With big green eyes, he stares down at his master's contemplative face with worry.

_"Did Kitrina make it home alright?" _Klarion asks his familiar through their telepathic bond.

Teekl nods.

Klarion says nothing, just continues to silently stare at the ceiling, appearing to be greatly deep in thought. However moody he has been lately, this isn't at all like him.

_"What is the matter, brother?" _Teekl asks._ "What was it you and Timothy spoke of that has left you at such unease?"_

Red Robin's words hang heavy in the warlock's mind. He had told him to be honest with himself. Stop lying and living in denial. Stop fighting fate. Surrender. Just admit it. Admit how he truly feels inside.

He'd made it sound so simple.

With the flick of his wrist, Klarion produces a crystal ball from out of thin air. It materializes from out of a red haze into the palm of his hand. Arm outstretched, Klarion lifts the ball up high enough so that both he and Teekl may gaze into its depths.

"Her." Klarion replies softly. "She's the matter."

A dense fog swirls within the ball and within that fog a figure of a girl comes into view.

_"Kitrina?"_ Teekl asks, still unsure where this is going. "_How so?_"

Klarion brings the ball down and lets it sit atop his chest right in front of his face. His dark eyes dart back and forth, spying on Kitrina as she rests peacefully alone in her bed.

"I was wrong." The former witch boy whispers softly.

With round wide eyes, the familiar stares at his master. Surely something must be gravely wrong with the young man to make him say such a thing. Klarion never admits failure. He's never wrong.

"You knew all this time, didn't you, Teekl? Even back then… That night on the roof. You said she was important. That it was the hand of fate which had brought us together." Klarion continues to Teekl's further astonishment. "How could you have possibly known when I did not know myself?"

Teekl can't help but purr. It would appear his master finally understands. Moving in closer, he lies down beside his friend.

_"Because I know you, brother." _Teekl purrs happily. _"Perhaps better than you know yourself."_

Always doting upon her, smothering her in his affections. Klarion now sees what Teekl had been doing all along. Though it had upset him greatly, he nows sees that his familiar had indeed only been trying to help. He'd only had his best intentions in mind. The warlock feels like a heel. A familiar's role is to aid it's master in magic and look after and take care of it's host. Since the warlock's rightful mate is without a familiar of her own, the draaga-cat saw it as it's duty to split his functions between the two. To take care of them both. How could Klarion possibly be mad at Teekl for only doing what he thought was good and right. And to think he'd been cross with him, called him names and acted out so angrily. How sorry he feels right now.

"I've been a terrible friend to you, Teekl." Klarion confesses, reaching over to pet his familiar behind the ears. "I thought you had taken up an interest romantically in humans." He smirks. "I had no idea… It was right in front of my face. Tim was right. I really am an idiot. How could I have not seen this coming?"

_"Perhaps you did see, but refused to believe it. And in that denial, you had rendered yourself blind. So I took it upon myself to be your eyes when you could not see." _Teekl replies._ "After all, you did help me find a mate. It's only fair…"  
_  
His lithe, blue fingers softly trace her features along the crystal's surface.

He remembers way back when. Oh how he despised her when they first met. Now he knows better. It wasn't so much that he despised HER, rather that he despised what she represented. What she was destined to become. He's been running from this since the very beginning. Since he set off on a life of solitude and adventure. Since he'd left his home. Perhaps Red Robin was correct in his assessment. He fears commitment. He fears change.

Sure he'd known his roaming lifestyle would one day come to pass and he looked forward to a future where he'd become a dutiful husband and patriarch. But he hadn't expected it to come so soon. For him to settle down so readily. She'd swooped down from the darkness. Snuck up on him from behind like a thief in the night. She'd stolen his heart. Introduced a new order to his world of unruly chaos. Or perhaps instilled within him her very own brand of chaos to his order of things. Either way, he can deny it no longer. His life as he's known it has come to an abrupt and crashing end. Violent and messy. Filled with so much pain. It's exhilarating. So new. Like leaping from a hundred story building. He feels like he's flying.

"So blinded that I could not see the cliff that I was bound to fall over." Klarion repeats Xanadu's words. That blasted woman knows everything. "After all this time… To think it was HER that I have actually been falling for."

Sitting up, Klarion places the ball beside him and rubs the palms of his hands against his temples before combing back his hair.

"So what do I do?" Klarion sighs, his weary eyes staring down at Teekl for guidance. "Now that I've done everything in my power to not only push her away but to assure that she utterly despises me..."

With a groan, the warlock pushes to his feet and begins pacing about his room. The back of his hand rests at the small of his back, secured in place as he weaves the fingers of his other hand through his hair, pushing back his bangs. His brow is wrought with worry and thought.

"I could always concoct some sort of love potion, I suppose. Or perhaps a poppet to persuade her. Of course I will need a lock of her hair, but that shouldn't be a problem given we share the same residence. If only I still had access to the Submissionary's Rod…"

_"Klarion."_ Teekl insists, breaking his friend's rather deviant train of thought. _"Please take a seat and stop this nonsense. You are NOT possessing her in any way, shape, or form."  
_  
Ceasing his pacing, Klarion takes a seat on the bed beside Teekl once more.

"You know, you used to be fun." Klarion gripes, elbow to his knee and chin in hand. Teekl just laughs.

His body heaves with a heavy sigh. He places his hands in his lap, staring down at his black nails and blue fingers.

"If I can't use trickery or magic... What do I do to fix this mess that I have made?" Klarion mopes. "Tim told me to just tell her outright, but I just don't know. We haven't exactly been on the best terms as of lately, communication wise that is. And I know I'm to blame for that, but... What if she won't hear what I have to say?"

Teekl doesn't reply, but instead offers his master companionable silence. Sometimes just being there is more than enough.

"Tomorrow, Teekl." Klarion says with a newfound fire in his veins. "Tomorrow is a brand new day.

He lays back down on his bed and reaches for the crystal ball. Staring into its depths, he watches as Kitrina sleeps. He places the ball down softly on the pillow beside him and pretends that she is lying with him. Pressing his forehead against the ball's smooth crystal surface, if he closes his eyes, he can smell her close by.

"Tomorrow I shall make her mine."

* * *

_**He hasn't said "IT" just yet, but you know where this is going! :D  
Reviews pretty please! 3**_


	36. Chapter 35

**READY TO FALL**

With a great big bagful of groceries in hand, Klarion bursts through the front door with an over-exuberant smile plastered to his face.

He can't quite explain it, but he had had a more than wonderful day exploring the city and was feeling extra gracious, so he decided to take it upon himself to bring dinner home for Kitrina to thank her for all she has done for both him and Teekl. She'd opened up her home to them, taken them in as both friends and equals. Shown him the city, her world. Perhaps it's time to start paying it back. It's time to start opening up more and showing her exactly how he feels. Show that he can be good to her, provide for her. And it all starts tonight with dinner.

Knowing how much she enjoys Chinese food, he had found the perfect little restaurant in the old China Town district to purchase from. It smelled heavenly, reminding him fully of his travels to the far East. Rich, exotic and flavorful. And only after grilling the owner for nearly ten minutes over whether or not he uses cats in his cooking (to quell the disturbing rumors he'd once heard) was he confident enough to order. To tell the truth, he'd never ordered anything more than a slice of pizza or bought a box of sugar-coated cereal for himself before. To put together a banquet of a meal such as this is quite the daunting task. It's more than anything he's ever handled before. He only hopes she enjoys it.

Placing down the bag on the kitchen island, Klarion begins to set out little white cardboard containers of Kung Pao chicken and pork lo mein among various other tasty concoctions. Perhaps he was just a bit overzealous in his ordering, he hadn't realized he'd nearly bought out the entire menu, front and back. He hopes she doesn't think that he is trying too hard, though in all actuality, he is.

Hands on his hips, the warlock takes a step back to look over the spread he's laid out before him. He tilts his head and purses his lips. Something's just not right. It's not yet complete.

With the wave of his hand, the room begins to change around him. Candles blink into existence, the lights turn down low. Red magic flows and fills the air with a sense of ambiance, romance and wonder. An extravagant bouquet of flowers blooms center stage, its vines curling around the granite countertop. Tiger lilies and orchids and peonies and roses. Babies breath and snapdragons and violets and chrysanthemums. He hasn't a clue as to what her favorite flower might be so he damn well nearly grows them all. Certainly an arrangement that would make even the infamous Poison Ivy see green with envy.

"Kitrina, dinner's ready!" Klarion excitedly calls throughout the empty apartment. After no response, he tries again. "Kitrina?"

It would appear she has yet to return home. Klarion was sure he'd mastered her schedule. An early morning class on Tuesdays followed by lunch with Enigma and training with the old Wildcat, Ted Grant. Just your typical Tuesday in Gotham. Which happens to be some of the nights he'd used to like best. Boring. Average. Uneventful. The nights when she'd wander in exhausted, too tired to venture out yet again, strip down into her PJs and strew herself upon the couch. He'd take a seat beside her, her feet in his lap, toes playing with the buttons to his dress shirt. She'd tell him about her day as she channel surfed or watched the soap operas she'd recorded earlier while she was out and he'd read quietly from a book.

How he misses those nights, the way things were.

Klarion takes a look at his watch then moves his eyes towards the door. Perhaps she's just running late. No need to worry or fret. Any moment now, she'll come right through that door. He can hardly contain his excitement. She's going to be so surprised.

Pulling out a barstool, Klarion takes a seat at the counter, both he and Teekl waiting patiently for Kitrina's return. After a couple minutes, he begins nibbling at the fried rice. A couple minutes more and he idly smooths over the creases in his suit. After about an hour, the candles have nearly burnt down. All that's left are little waxy nubs.

Yet another hour passes. And another.

A puff of smoke wafts through the air along with the subtle scent of sulfur as the final candle flickers out, leaving him alone in the darkness of their apartment. His heart sinks. The flowers begin to wilt. The food's gone cold.

Teekl looks up to meet eyes with his master. With sad and low eyes, Klarion finds his gaze. A mere thought and a red swirling portal opens up high above the kitchen island, instantly sucking the entire meal and all of Klarion's hard work up into the void. Once the last candle has dispersed, the portal closes in on itself and disappears from sight, taking everything Klarion willed with it. The kitchen is once again quiet and empty. Dark. A clean slate. Like he was never here.

He'll try again tomorrow.

With a sigh, Klarion gets up from his seat and makes his way through the kitchen towards his bedroom chamber. He flicks on the little desk lamp rather than the overhead lights, creating just the right amount of light for him to read by. Taking a seat on his bedroom floor, the warlock empties the contents of his knapsack out before him. A suspicious set of dice fall out and roll across the floor, becoming lost underneath the bed.

Amongst the clatter of random sundries, herbs, and trinkets, several books spill out, his latest conquests from the Gotham Public Library. The majority of them are books on modern dating and how to pick up women. A far cry from his usual haul of spell books and local history. He'd spent the better part of the day researching such things, trying his best to figure out what to do about a certain feline fatale.

Debating where to begin, Klarion picks up a hard-bound book on the Kama Sutra from the pile and scans its front cover. His eyes fall to the side to glare at his sneaky little cat. The guilty look on his whiskered face is evidence enough that he'd snuck said book into his master's knapsack. Klarion cocks his head just ever so slightly as he curiously peers inside. His eyes widen as he leers at the illustrations. Turning the book upside down, he tilts his head further, unnaturally arching his neck and raises an eyebrow.

"How can one possibly-"

A loud crash rings out from somewhere within the apartment, making Klarion drop the book and jump to his feet.

He can already hear the sound of the medicine cabinet slamming open and closed, the sound of nameless items being pushed around and tumbling to the floor as he makes his way through the darkened apartment. Teekl follows close behind.

Cautiously, he approaches the bathroom door, the source of the noise. Opened just a crack, it's enough to let a sliver of light slip out and cut through the darkness of the hallway, illuminating bright red bloodstains tracked across the floor.

Alarmed, Klarion's hand hovers just above the doorknob.

A thousand and one possibilities run through his head, none of which are good. Teekl remains unusually silent, filling him ever more with worry and dread. Surely something horrid awaits them on the other side of the door. His heart beats so fast, pounding like a drum inside his head.

"Kitrina?" Klarion calls out, his voice shrill and filled with fright.

He doesn't wait for an answer, but instead grabs hold of the door knob and barges his way inside.

As if cast aside carelessly, an open sack of jewels lies just inside the doorway, it's contents strewn across the floor. They glitter and shine in the pale, bathroom light, emitting a crimson glow. Interlaced with fresh, red blood, it's hard to tell the hundreds of tiny rubies scattered across the ground from the speckles of blood. It's both beautiful and horrifying.

Kitrina stands hunched over the bathroom sink, her black catsuit stained red and hastily ripped open at the seams to reveal a pair of ghastly gun shot wounds to her chest. Blood streams down her back like a river, indicating at least one of the bullets have found its way to pass straight through. It pools around her and all over the sink in a sickening shade of deep crimson. Bits of glistening gun-metal shrapnel lay inside the sink. It looks as if she had dug the second spent bullet out of her own mangled flesh with her diamond-tipped claws.

Sensing intruders, Kitrina spins around quickly and takes on a defensive stance, displaying her bloodied claws and tightly grit teeth much like a wounded animal. She looks feral, ravenous. Her narrowed eyes focus on Klarion and she lets down her guard. She softens. Her arms hang and shoulders slump.

"Oh…" She says weakly, forcing a crooked smile. "Hiya, Blue."

Her eyes roll into the back of her head and her body sways. Gravity takes control and pulls her forward, knocking her head over heels as she faints, falling into his arms.

Catching her limp body, Klarion stumbles to the floor with her dead weight. Teekl rushes to his side. Over and over, he calls out her name, but she doesn't respond. Lost in her unconsciousness, she's slipped so far away. So far from his grasp.

He can feel her life-force draining as he frantically clutches her to his chest. Sticky and wet, her blood seeps into his clothes, staining his blue skin red.

All color leaves her. Her aura wanes.

What could he do? How could he save her? He can't possibly bring her to a hospital. No. Not like this. So what then? Where can he go?

Gathering her up in his arms, he gets to his feet. Teekl leaps onto his shoulders, already knowing the drill.

"It's ok, Kitty." Klarion whispers in her ear, hoping that wherever her spirit lies, that she can hear him. "Everything's going to be ok."

He tells her that she's going to be alright. Again and again. It's meant to bring her ease, but in all actuality it's the only thing he can do assure himself that he believes in what he says. The more he says it, the better he feels. He simply cannot fail her. He won't.

Adrenaline kicks in. His heart beats like a fighter jet. Fast and hard. Through his will alone, Klarion summons a glowing red portal. With the girl in his arms and his cat on his back, he steps through into the great unknown, letting the void consume them.

* * *

_**Guess where WE'RE going! ...  
**_  
_**Reviews pretty please with sugar on top! :D**_


	37. Chapter 36

_**Sorry this took me so long. My little guy just had his first birthday so the past week has been filled with partying and people and presents and mayhem! **_

_**To answer EpicMickeyX's review, we're not going to Batman's. In fact, we're a looooooooong way from Gotham! *evil grin***_

* * *

**THE DESCENT**

With his head in his hands, Klarion sits hunched over at the kitchen table to his sister's home, waiting.

His eyes dart between the well-worn floor and the room across the way. A sliver of light leaks out from beneath the closed bedroom door, the only source of brightness in her nearly pitch black home. He rathers it this way, sitting in the darkness. It fits his mood. And besides, looking down at his arms, he doesn't really want to bring to light and see all the blood on his hands right now. So vivid and red. Seeping into the cuffs of his bleached white shirt. Radiant and glistening across the bathroom floor. Kitrina's eyes rolling into the back of her head. Those wounds... He squeezes his eyes shut, telling his mind to venture elsewhere. Despite how hard he tries, he finds himself reliving that moment again and again.

A clock ticks somewhere. He taps his foot anxiously. Shadows shift along the floorboards, movement from the other room, though he still can't quite tell what is going on in there.

Although he knows he should think positively, his head swims with painful thoughts. Could she possibly be dead? Why hasn't Beulah given him any word yet? Just what is she doing in there anyway? It feels as if she's been in there for all eternity already. Time has been progressing much too slowly. It's painful to sit here and wait. He feels so useless.

Klarion idly strokes Teekl's fur as the plump cat sits somberly in his narrow lap. An attempt to comfort both he and his familiar. Neither have spoken a word to one another. There's nothing much to say.

Finally, Beulah emerges and both Klarion and Teekl's heads pick up. He attentively sits straight up in his chair, eagerly awaiting word as she makes her way towards him. Wiping her hands on her starched white apron, she takes a seat beside him and sighs. With the slightest wave of her hand, a gas lantern on the table along with several other candles scattered about the room burst to life.

"So?" Klarion asks in much anticipation, fidgeting in his seat. All of a sudden, he finds himself unable to sit still.

"So..." Beulah begins in a scolding tone. "You SHOULD have gone to a doctor, NOT a midwife. Why the heavens did you come here anyway? If your Blue Rafters is so much more advanced, then couldn't you have-"

"I already told you. I couldn't take her to the hospital." Klarion growls, interrupting his sister. "This was the first place that popped into my head as I stepped through the portal."

Beulah's eyes narrow at her younger brother's bitter tone. Though she's glad at the idea that her brother thought of home and family first when the going got tough and he had nowhere else to go, she still can't help but be furious at him.

"You don't come home in HOW many years and THIS is the first place you think of?" She returns with spite. "I mean really, brother. You don't even write or summon. You act as if the world above is so much greater than-"

"I do not wish to argue with you, dear sister." Klarion interrupts yet again, raising his voice. The room silences and he takes a deep breath, quieting his nerves. "Just please... Tell me. Will she be alright?"

With a bit of a huff, Beulah crosses her arms.

"She's lost quite a bit of blood, but otherwise is fine. It would appear she'd dredged most of the shrapnel herself. I've removed the rest and have stitched her up proper. She just needs her rest." Beulah replies slowly. "I have her on several healing and protection spells now that the bleeding has stopped. Her bandages will be needing tending to come the morning and I'll have to step out to gather a fresh supply of witch hazel and agrimony to begin preparing more medicine for her wounds, but-"

He needn't listen to the rest. With a slight nod, Klarion gets to his feet and makes for the door with Teekl close behind.

"And just where do you think you're off to?"

Klarion stops in his steps and turns to answer his sister.

"Tending the garden." Klarion responds. "You said you needed herbs for Kitrina's medication."

With a slight smirk, Beulah uncrosses her arms and places her hands in her lap.

"And that can wait, dear brother." She returns, patting the empty chair beside her. "Come. Sit a spell with me and let us chat. It has been ages since we've last spoken. Tell me stories of your adventures and the world above."

Klarion hesitates for a moment, lingering by the door before ultimately coming back to his seat at the table.

"And what sort of tale would you like to hear?" Klarion asks rather skeptically. Knowing his sister, he can already predict all too well what sort of tale she would like him to tell.

Beulah smirks.

"Tell me how you came to meet this human girl."

Klarion shrugs nonchalantly, playing it cool.

"Nothing to tell." He replies indifferently. "Teekl and I needed lodging and she was kind enough to allow us entrance to her home."

With the quirk of her brow, Beulah casts a knowing look, keen to her brother's tricks and lies.

"You're lying." She accuses, eyes twinkling. "Oh what wicked yarns you spin, my brother."

"Am not!" Klarion defends, nose in the air and arms across his chest. "What I say is the absolute truth."

Perched atop Klarion's shoulders, Teekl huffs and imitates his master. Beulah snickers.

"Ohhh... So then you mean to tell me that YOU, such a virile young man such as yourself, share residence with a young and fertile, not to mention PRETTY, unmarried woman? And a non-magic surface dweller to boot!" Beulah teases. She taps a slender blue finger against her chin. Her grin broadens. "How scandalous!"

Klarion takes offense, instantly finding the need to defend himself.

"It's not like that. She's just... a friend." Klarion insists rather quickly. "As you know, things are much different on the surface, Beulah. A man may take up residence with a woman without a public uproar. A man may even lie with any woman of his choosing without the need for marriage..." His ears turn red in guilt. He finds himself explaining himself even quicker now. "NOT that I've DONE anything of the sort, but... Please understand, their world is not like ours."

Beulah eyes her brother skeptically.

"You say she is your friend, but I can see it in your eyes, in your face... You want her to be more." Her grin turns wicked though her eyes betray her. They find themselves becoming warm. Tender. Her voice softens. "You love her, don't you?"

Klarion casts her a dangerous glare.

"Oh come now, you can tell me." Beulah insists. "It's not like I'm going to go running off, rallying the other villagers to burn you at the stake... AGAIN. I-"

"Can we please move on to something else? Some other topic. Perhaps one that does not include ridiculing ME." Klarion interrupts. "Tell me, how are things with your husband... Malachie?"

"Mordechai." Beulah corrects snappishly. "Perhaps you would remember his name better if you had bothered attending the wedding."

"I thought I had already explained." Klarion sighs. "Batman needed my assistance in saving the world. I figured you, of all people, would understand."

"The world is ALWAYS in peril, Klarion."

To this, Klarion just folds his arms and slumps further back in his chair.

"Will you be visiting with mother during your visit?" Beulah continues in an attempt to somewhat change the conversation. "Or do you plan on skipping town as soon as your "friend" is well?"

Klarion's black eyes fall upon the flickering flame, finding it far more interesting than his current conversation.

"While I am at it, why don't I just give my regards to the entire village as well." Klarion grumbles beneath his breath sarcastically.

"Splendid idea!" Beulah exclaims, clapping her hands. "At the church, during tomorrow's mass."

Whether she understands Klarion's sarcasm or not, it look's like he's stuck. A groan escapes his lips.

"Of course, you cannot wear that." She points at Klarion's bloodied suit from the world above.

Inching closer, she examines him head to toe.

"My, you have grown since I saw you last. You are what now? A little over six feet tall I would say." Beulah points out. "No doubt, the doublets mother has kept for you would no longer fit. However, I'm sure Mordechai's would do nicely."

Beulah gets up from her seat, smoothing out the wrinkles in her dress.

"I'll go fetch them. They shall be pressed and ready for you come the morning."

"Thanks." Klarion mumbles low.

He gets up from his seat as well, stretching out his tired bones. He had forgotten just how long he had been sitting in that same spot. His eyes move to the left, stopping at the closed bedroom door.

"Come." Beulah instructs. "I'll prepare a bed for you."

"If you don't mind, I think I would rather stay by her side." Klarion replies, pocketing his hands. "Just in case she wakes. It would be best she finds a familiar face, seeing that this is an unfamiliar setting to her. I wouldn't want her to be startled."

Beulah doesn't point out the obvious, just nods with a small and knowing smile.

"Of course. Just be ready for church by nine." She says as she prepares to leave. "I'll be just down the hall should you need my assistance. Rest well, Klarion. I shall pray for your friend's safety."

"Rest well." Klarion returns, his eyes still on Kitrina's bedroom door. "Oh, and Beulah?" His voice turns soft, his words quieter than before. "Thank you."

With a small smile and a curt nod, she departs. Her owl-like familiar follows close behind.

Standing alone in his sister's kitchen, Klarion waits until the lights in the old wooden home dim and he knows Beulah has gone to bed before slowly making his way towards Kitrina's room. A sense of dread fills him. Placing his hand on the door frame, he wants so badly just to step inside and find her awake, bright and smiling, sitting on the bed waiting for him, acting as if nothing is wrong. As if nothing had happened. Instead he finds the room dark and Kitrina lying still in the bed in the corner.

He takes hold of the small oil lantern affixed to the wall by her door and removes the glass globe. Snapping his fingers, he lights fire to the wick and replaces the glass. The small flame casts its warm glow throughout the room, lighting the path towards her bed. Slowly, he makes his way over and sets the lantern down on her nightstand.

Teekl perches himself at the edge of her bedpost, a silent sentinel as he guards her against the darkness.

With a nervous sigh, he lets out a shaky breath. It would appear that the weight of tonight's events have finally sunk in. Standing by her bedside, he removes his jacket, folds it neatly and places it on the chair by her bed. No doubt the same chair Beulah had sat in as she attended her wounds. He loosens his tie and places it on the chair as well. Looking down at his shirtsleeves, it's the first time he's allowed himself, albeit accidentally, to gaze upon the bloodstains well-past dried upon his arms. It turns his stomach up in knots, leaves him feeling sick. To know that she is hurting and there's nothing he can do... To think he'd almost lost her.

Finally removing his shoes and kicking them to the side of her nightstand, he eases onto the bed next to her, letting his feet hang off the side as he stares down at her sleeping face.

Even the lantern's warmth can't bring to life her placid skin. She looks so pale and gone. It tugs at Klarion, deep inside.

Laying down beside her, he gathers her in his arms like how he did when she couldn't sleep from her night terrors and wishes he could fix her now just as easily as he did then. It feels as if she's slipping away, falling further from his grasp. He pulls her in closer, unwilling to let go.

"Gotcha." He whispers as he closes his eyes.


	38. Chapter 37

**SOMEWHERE I BELONG**

He feels so alien. More so here among his own people than as a blue-skinned outsider upon the shores of Blue Rafters.

Walking up to the church's double doors, he can't help but remember what it felt like as a boy walking through the massive archway. How small it made him feel. How insignificant. So much time wasted listening to such mind numbing sermons. He's never missed this place. Not even once throughout all these years. How Beulah talked him into coming here today, he'll never know. It would seem he has a weak spot for the women in his life, however few they might be. Despite how much he bitches and moans, he just can't say no. Though if he were to have it his way, he would never have moved an inch from Kitrina's side.

This morning as he found his attire so neatly laid out for him, he also noticed that Beulah had taken the time to mend Kitrina's so badly ravaged and torn catsuit as well. Folded nicely and placed right beside his little pile. She did a good job. Her handiwork at stitching up those dreadful holes is quite astounding. One would never know that just the night before it was practically the only thing keeping the cat girl from bleeding out. But best not to think about that now. There are more pressing matters at hand.

He looks himself over. The garb his sister had prepared for him fits quite nicely, though a bit looser than he tends to prefer. It seems her husband, Mordechai is a much sturdier fellow than himself. More robust in the arms and chest than Klarion finds himself. Again, less armor than he likes to wear. The man mustn't be a soldier such as he. Still, he looks quite pleasing in the black doublet and starched white stockings. It's been so long since he's worn his traditional Croatoan fashion.

A heavy sigh escapes his lips, his body literally heaves with the motion. His shoulders slump. Best not wait out here any longer and delay the inevitable. He straightens his spine and holds his head up high.

He steps inside and the commotion of the townsfolk instantly ceases. All attention turns towards him, eyes on his back as he walks tall down the aisle. His mother in the front pew stands and stares wide-eyed at her son. He approaches and she throws her arms around him, pulling him into a hug.

"Hello, mother." Klarion says as she nearly squeezes the life out of him.

"You've returned!" Charity exclaims, her hands resting on her son's tall shoulders.

"Just for a visit." Klarion corrects, placing his hands on hers.

Something bumps into the back of his leg. He turns to see what had touched him only to find a group of small children have gathered at his feet. Their big, bright eyes stare up at him in awe. Klarion looks down at them, unsure what to make of the mob scene around him. A leader comes forward and tugs at the edge of Klarion's doublet. The warlock waits patiently for the child to state his business.

"Um... well..." The child begins, gathering courage. "Eli says, brother Klarion, is it true that you, um... that you've been to the surface. Is it true? Magdalene says that is a lie and we are not supposed to tell lies. But is it true?"

Klarion takes a knee as to be on the same level as the child. So that he can see eye to eye with the little one.

"How old are you?" He asks.

Counting on his fingers, the boy replies, "Four."

Klarion looks up to his mother.

"Has it really been that long since I last visited?" He asks. "Do these children have no knowledge of the topside world?"

He returns his attention to the child.

"Yes it is true." He replies with a smile. "There is a whole world above ours, much vaster than you could ever imagine. Just beyond the wicket gate."

The children's eyes grow larger, waiting for more.

"A world full of sunlight and warmth. Sweet treats and wondrous sights. There's much adventure to be had and friendships too!" Klarion explains.

An adult steps forward, a woman in a black dress and prim white bonnet. She grabs her child's hand, tugging him away from the group.

"You forgot to mention danger." She hisses. "The surface dwellers are dangerous. Have you not forgotten how they invaded our village and set fire to our homes? They wished to enslave us! Many good people were lost that day."

Many villagers agree, voicing their opinions and creating a rabble of voices. Rumors and gossip swirl, outcries and angry tones alike. It's difficult to make sense of it all, impossible to discern a single voice from the clamor.

"Sure, the world above is dangerous." Klarion yells, cutting through the crowd and making himself be heard. Once more, he regains their attention. "It is dangerous and strange and so much different than our world. But that does not make it bad. Neither does its people. Not everyone is like those men with their guns."

They look at him, still so unsure, torn by his words. Klarion steps to the front of the room, just behind the Submissionary's podium at the altar as he addresses the crowd.

"Our ancestors came to this land to hide in shame. But we have nothing to be ashamed of." Klarion continues. Slowly, one by one, the townsfolk sit and listen. "Do we not deserve to live under the same stars as our topside brothers and sisters? For our children to feel the sun's warmth on their skin? I will tell you this. The surface is WORTH the danger. It is what makes life worth living. It is what gives it purpose and makes us feel alive. Would you rather sit here in the dark where nothing ever happens, or claw your way to the surface where a brand new, exciting life is waiting for each and every one of us?"

Silently, his fellow Croatoans stare up at him, eyes wide with wonder. For a moment, Klarion feels as if he may have gotten through to them, but then someone speaks and all at once, the rabble of voices consumes the tiny church once more.

Defeated, Klarion hangs his head as he makes his way back towards the front pew to sit beside his mother.

* * *

Both physically and mentally drained, Klarion steps inside the doorway to his sister's home. He expects to find Beulah waiting for him at the kitchen table, eager and ready to dig into him about his time at church. Instead, he finds the quaint, little home rather empty and dark. The fur on Teekl's back stands on end. Worried, Klarion calls out for his sister. Something doesn't feel right.

A sound catches his attention from inside Kitrina's bedroom chamber and he quickly makes his way over. He's about to swing open the door when Beulah steps out, blocking his view. She holds in her arms several bloodied towels and bed sheets, making Klarion ever more anxious. The color in her face is completely drained, leaving her a sickly shade of pale blue. With her eyes wide and unblinking, she stares at her brother, her mouth agape, unsure what to say.

"I had gone in to change her bandages and..." Beulah begins, nearly trembling. "Oh, Klarion... I'm so, so sorry."

Pushing his sister aside, Klarion rushes past her, making a bee-line towards Kitrina's bed. She looks so pale, much more so than normal. Ghostly white and cold to the touch. Lips blue and closed eyes sunken. Blood seeps through the sheets she's wrapped in, starting in the center and bleeding outwards, becoming fainter towards the edges. If it weren't so ghastly, it would be beautiful. Like roses blooming from her chest. He gathers her up in his arms like a rag doll, so limp within his grasp. So light.

"What happened?" Klarion growls while holding Kitrina. "You said she was fine when I left this morning."

Beulah steps inside the doorway, still clutching the bloodied bandages tightly to her chest.

"I also said I was not a doctor." She hisses in return. "I have never seen such a wound of this caliber before. I removed what I could and patched her up to the best of my ability, but she must have sustained a greater deal of internal damage than I had initially thought. She just began hemorrhaging and I... I couldn't get it to stop. She just... She just wouldn't stop bleeding."

More furious than frightened, Klarion's eyes narrow on his sister.

"And you couldn't summon me to assist you?" He spits. "Why hadn't you called for me to return?"

"What would you have had me do, brother? Leave her dying here ALONE to go run and fetch you? Burst inside the church doors with this human's blood on my hands?" She defends. "Is it not enough that I have opened up my home to you and your friend? I did the best I could!"

Lifting Kitrina, Klarion begins to make his way back towards the front door.

"Where are you going?" Beulah asks, her voice still trembling.

"To Doctor Isaac. There's still time before she..." Klarion stops mid-sentence. He can't bring himself to say the word.

"Perhaps if you had gone straight there in the first place, brother, rather than bring her here." Beulah says softly, placing her hand on Klarion's as she stops him at the door. "Too much time has passed and she's lost far too much blood. There's nothing we can do now. Perhaps it would be best to make preparations-"

"Leave." Klarion growls, cutting her off.

"It's too late, brother." Beulah replies in a soft, motherly tone. "You should say your goodbyes."

"I said LEAVE!" Klarion shouts at the top of his lungs, making the foundation shake. Eyes red and teeth sharp, he's a frightening sight.

A shudder runs through Beulah. She swears she can hear the glass windows groan, bowing out at the seams and threatening to burst. The porcelain plates in the kitchen rattle and clank. Her owl familiar cowers on her shoulder.

"There's an order to these things..." She quietly dares to speak.

Klarion walks past, a chill to the air in his wake. He stands inside Kitrina's bedroom door, his back towards Beulah. Such a dark and brooding aura about him. So deeply lost.

"Order?" Klarion lowly growls in return. "There is no place in this world for order. Only chaos. Love... Love is chaos. And I am it's lord and master. "

Without another word, Beulah backs away slowly with her head hung low, leaving her brother in the darkness of the bedroom, holding his broken friend.

Klarion's black eyes sting wet with tears as he carefully lowers Kitrina onto the dusty hardwood floor. Kneeling beside her, his shaking fingers tentatively graze over the tangled bed sheet, wet and sticky with her blood. What little spells he knows in the realm of healing magic is not nearly enough to fix her.

So much fear and sadness swirls within him, an inner turmoil of distress and emotion. He grabs onto her shoulders and tries to shake her awake, all the while pleading with her, practically begging for her to awaken. His sadness turns to rage, making his eyes glow a blood-curdling crimson. His black nails turn sharp, digging into her skin as he shakes her more violently, making her head flop to and fro. He yells at her to wake up, demands and threatens her to do as he commands, but still she will not stir. He howls like a pained animal desperately searching for its mate. And in his moment of panic, he knows there is only one last thing that he can do.

This is what happens when you spit in the face of fate. They had given him a gift to which he had rejected and only after finding his fault and reaching out to grasp what he so wanted, they'd taken it away. Pulled her from his grasp. It would seem, the universe is not without a sense of humor. Sick and twisted as it might be. Should he beg for forgiveness, would the fates show mercy and give her back? Somehow he doubts that. Nothing precious in this world can be obtained without sacrifice.

"I made a promise, Kitty." Klarion growls, hastily removing his doublet. "I will rip this whole damned world apart... Just to keep you safe."

A button flies across the room as Klarion tears into his cotton undershirt, exposing his chest. It comes to a rest in the corner where Teekl cowers in hiding. Removing the ceremonial dagger from its holster around his belt loop, Klarion holds the blade to his chest. He takes one last deep breath, steadying his hand and clearing his mind, just before carving a symbol into his cerulean flesh. Biting his tongue keeps him from screaming.

He then turns the dagger on Kitrina, carving the same symbol into her chest as well. Unlike him, she doesn't even make a peep as the blade kisses her skin. She also doesn't bleed nearly as greatly as he. Having already lost so much blood, there's hardly much more to give.

When the deed is done, the dagger falls to the floor and Klarion, once more, scoops Kitrina up into his arms, hugging her closely to his chest as he cradles her in his lap. His wound stings terribly as he applies the pressure of her skin against his. Their blood mixes. He rests his his sweat-filled brow upon hers and closes his eyes as he begins to chant in tongues never spoken. His lips find her ear and he whispers something so soft and quiet that only she can hear, wherever in the darkness her soul may be.

His whole body begins to glow a vivid and unearthly light. Starting from the mark on her chest and spreading across her entire body, she begins to glow the same. He presses his lips to hers.

The floorboards creak and vibrate terribly, splintering beneath them. A strange hum fills the air. Slowly, he can feel the magic flow through his veins and into her body, his life force filling her with warmth. It starts out warm, just a little more than a tingling sensation, then turns to burning hot, like lava churning in his blood. With every heartbeat, he can feel her strength grow, feel her color and warmth returning. And he can feel himself weaken.

Her lips warm and she deepens the kiss, her arms wrapping around his neck as she feeds from his soul. He can practically hear her heart throbbing in his ears to the same rhythm as his own. It starts off faint, at first, but then grows louder, nearly deafening. A stampede of drums inside his head, thrumming against his skull. The sound of her blood whooshing through her arteries as her heart races faster and faster yet is enough to make his head spin. Her warm breath on his lips mixes with his own and he can feel the room begin to twirl. He feels faint, completely drained of energy as she continues to feast, growing stronger every second.

His chest burns fiercely as if his heart were on fire. His ribs feel as if they just might burst into flames. She weaves her fingers through his hair and his skin feels electric. Like little pin pricks all over. Tingly and painful just the same. It's about the last thing he feels before his eyes roll back and the room grows dark.


End file.
